Weeds are never-ending. No matter how diligent I am to spray weed killer on them or spend time pulling them up around my flowers, it seems like in just a few days – they are back.
I was outside pulling weeds with the girls; Charlotte was running around collecting rocks from my flower bed while Eva was helping me. The dogs were off in the distance, stirring up trouble, no doubt. Eva had a Barbie house that she wanted so badly. To earn money for it, we added odd jobs to fill her piggy bank. She was less than thrilled to be pulling weeds, but nonetheless, pull she must.
In the middle of sweat equity, she asked, “How do weeds grow so fast!” I immediately responded, “Because they have no depth. Look how easily they are uprooted. They spring up at a moment’s notice. It is like our own life; if we don’t keep the weeds pulled out, they will overgrow our flower gardens.” I called the girls close and explained. “You must pull the weeds out by the root. If you don’t, it will grow right back. Anything that goes against God’s word must be pulled out.”
A Mimosa tree is actually known in some parts as a tree weed. It can be very invasive, choking out everything around it. It casts a large shadow that doesn’t allow other vegetation the sun it needs to grow. It also can carry a certain kind of worm that is unhealthy for gardens. For these reasons, the Mimosa tree has fallen in favor of most southern gardeners. It still, however, is one of my favorites to see growing along the edges of the woods. As a young girl, it was always a sign that we had entered southern territory when driving South from South Dakota; that and kudzu vine.
Pulling weeds is an ongoing process. It will never be finished. Things that seem to come out of nowhere will pop up in our lives. When weeds pop up, they must be uprooted; if not, they will begin to choke out the Christian character you once possessed. However, the more diligent I am to pray weed killer the more I will stop sin from growing so easily.
“I must keep the fire perpetually, burning daily. My flesh must be destroyed. The answer to our flesh is not pampering, controlling, or hiding; the answer to the flesh is the fire of God- the Cross.” –Judson Cornwall, Let Us Draw Near
Our egos, pride, bad habits, and self-centered attitudes must be pulled from the roots. We have a lot of traits and training that do not look like Christ. We must destroy the thorns so all that remains is a blossoming rose.
Recently while selling books at a festival not far from our hometown, I heard a man tell my husband and me, “When raising kids, it is important to let them decide for themselves on religion. If you push religion on them, they will just run the other way.”
My parents believed in choices as well. We were given a choice each Sunday- we could ride with Dad to church or with Mom- but we were going.
On the way to church the next day, the man’s statement must have still been on Chuck’s mind because he said, “Each Sunday, my parents would get us kids ready for church. My brother and I had to wear a suit and tie while my sister had to wear a nice dress with ruffles. Some Sundays, we all went to the country to go with my grandma to church. It was an old country church- no air conditioning except for the hand-held paper fan your mom might have, and the service would be three hours long. You think I wanted to sit in a suit and sweat- No. But I was not given a choice. We did as we were told. Now here I am, taking my kids to church, whether they want to go or not. It doesn’t matter how they feel about it. Guess that hot country church paid off.”
Children left to determine what they believe on their own is inconceivable. It is a direct command that parents are to teach and pass down the Christian principles that Christ paid so dearly for (Deuteronomy 6:7; Proverbs 1:8-9; Proverbs 22:6; Psalms 78:2-4). It is the only way to create a successful life, home, family, and country.
I love a quote from the movie The Patriot when Reverend Oliver explains to his church why he is marching off to war. “A shepherd must tend his flock. And at times…fight off the wolves.”
In the book of Ezekiel, the sons of Zadok were allowed into the Holy of Holies. They saw firsthand what was clean. I love this picture because they were not taught what was wrong. They were taught what was right. “And they shall teach my people the difference between holy and unholy and cause them to discern the difference,” Ezekiel 44:15&23.
As a parent, you are the shepherd of your home. It is your God-given duty to fight off the wolves. We don’t have to show our children all the weeds for them to recognize wrong. Teach them what a flower looks like, and they will recognize a weed.
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