A Morning of Weeding Yields a Fruitful Analogy

Yet another morning in the weeds! No, I mean literally. In the weeds. Weeding with a local group at a local historical site. It's necessary work; it's beneficial work; and, as the object is to destroy all vegetation my brown thumb contacts, it's safe for any and all things growing intentionally. 

Our youngest and I were having a good time clearing weeds and debris from around some young saplings when a more horticulturally savvy volunteer pointed out that the cage we were clearing surrounded a dead tree. I'd noticed the growth around the bottom but never looked at the branches on top. They were good for nothing but kindling. He speculated that maybe the tree could still survive. I suggested that, even if it didn't, clearing the weeds would make it visible to those running this show, and they could make the determination as to what to do with it. We came to an agreement, and I continued clearing. As I worked, I began rolling around in my head something of a biblical analogy.

In Matthew 7:15-19, Jesus uses a tree to illustrate the works of false prophets. False prophets were a thing in Jesus' day and, we are warned, will be a thing throughout our days. Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell of 2819 Church in his sermon on this passage reminds listeners that trees are very different from plants and vines that produce fruit in a short period of time. You can tell if your tomato plant is really a weed in a matter of weeks; but a tree's growth occurs slowly and must be monitored for a longer period of time. Likewise, the false prophet. We must be careful not to give credence to those we've observed for only a little while; those who we've heard preach a time or two; those who produce powerful shorts on social media. Just as the tree before me would need to be observed for a bit, to see if those green sprigs surrounding the trunk would amount to anything. Or it would all be good for nothing but kindling.

And I thought about the difference in our perspectives, how that impacted our assessment of the tree. I, crawling around on the ground from tree to tree, never noticed the lack of life at the top of the tree. Another volunteer, moving through the area at full stature, saw nothing but death. Our perspective, our life experiences can cause us to be attracted to or place value in the words of a prophet. Grief can draw us to words of comfort. Guilt can cause us to crave the assurance of justification. But what does Scripture say? And is this prophet preaching the words of God? Perspective changes; it can alter our assessment. Scripture stands firm and is truth.

Lastly, the decision to clear the weeds anyway. Clearing away the vines and brambles that kept the tree hidden from view would serve one of two purposes: to reveal life or make the determination of death almost effortless. Some of those who preach a false gospel come with a lot of trappings. Expensive possessions and imposing titles. Some have legions of personnel surrounding them. They have degrees and endorsements. And none of those things is bad, in and of itself; we all have need of some measure of earthly goods. But for some, that's part of their false and formulaic appeal: You, too, can be as blessed as I am! We were never told to be impressed by the things of this world, and we were certainly never called to pursue them. The teachers we sit under should not be doing so either. When we clear away the trappings of our leaders (even of ourselves) --the vines that tend to bind us all to this world, the need for income and community, and the brambles that can catch us all up and pull us away from the things of God, earthly responsibilities that take up our time and demand our attention --when we clear these things away, we will come to one of two conclusions: there is life hidden beneath it all that will one day bear healthful, wholesome fruit, or it is all good for nothing but kindling.

We need to assess those who lead us and teach us; regularly, and for seasons on end. We need to submit ourselves to the assessment of the Holy Spirit and heed His correction that we might bear fruit. We must use the words of our Bible to do both. It is our Heavenly Gardner's guide. He will prune and weed and cast away that which is of no benefit, keeping safe any and all things growing by His intention.