Weeds, Roots, and Sun

As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been weeding raised beds in our vegetable garden in preparation for planting. After weeding we need to add new soil to bring soil levels up to where we want them for planting. I use a nifty little tool with a razor-sharp blade for cutting the roots of weeds - you've got to get to the roots to deal with weeds.

There were two types of weeds growing in the beds, some with deep roots and others with smaller roots. Using my weeding tool I got to the bottom of the deep-rooted weeds and pulled them out of the beds, discarding them on the walkway where the sun would kill them. The smaller weeds with shallow roots were so numerous that I couldn't pick them out individually; I used my blade to cut a swath of roots and bring them above ground - leaving them on top of the beds for the sun to kill. Had I not allowed the sun to do its work, had I immediately put new soil on top of the weeds, many of weeds would have had soil to reestablish their roots - the sun had to do its work before I put new soil in the beds. 

As I weeded I pondered sin. Just as the sun was needed to kill the roots of weeds, so the roots of sin need exposure to the light of the Son of God to be killed and rendered ineffective in our lives. A passing acknowledgement of sin is not enough, that is akin to throwing soil with nutrients on top of the roots of weeds, it covers up the problem, it spares sin and sinners from the sentence of death. To hide sin is to nurture sin, to hide ourselves from the light of Jesus Christ is to allow the deceptive roots of darkness to entwine themselves in and around our hearts and minds. Our lives were not created to be gardens with weeds and thorns; most of us don't realize that. We're often taught that weeds are the norm, that thorns "are what they are" and we have to accept them and make the best of life. We are taught (metaphorically) to celebrate weeds and thorns and vines that choke the life out of our lives and destroy relationships with others.

If our raised beds could talk they would say, "Weed us! Thank you for weeding us!" And they would tell us that they know that as a result of weeding that they will bear much fruit - life will be so much easier for the good plants with the weeds gone. A garden who cares for his or her garden is a gardener who weeds. 

Our heavenly Gardener loves His creation, He loves the men and women and children He created - even though they prefer weeds, even though His original garden was not good enough for them. We don't like to see Him coming, we don't like His weeding, we don't appreciate Him telling us the difference between a weed and a life-giving fruitful plant. We so often prefer that He keep His hands to Himself - if He must work in a garden let it be someone else's. 

Perhaps this is, in a measure, why the Bible is a foreign book to many professing Christians. Perhaps this is why our culture endorses weeds rather than righteousness.

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:12 - 13).