GPS Guide – November 8, 2019
GENEROUS GIFTS
Friday
Read: Matthew 13:24-30
” 24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” (NIV Matthew 13:24-30)
Study: Jesus’ story reminded us that we need to focus on the fruit we are bearing for God to harvest from our lives. When the servants asked to pull out the weeds, the master said, “No, because if you gather the weeds, you’ll pull up the wheat along with them.” It is not our job to “weed out” others for bearing bad fruit. We couldn’t do it accurately. That is God’s task; ours is to make sure we bear good fruit come harvest time. What Jesus described did happen in Palestine. There was a slightly poisonous weed (lolium temulentum for any botanists out there) that, until mature, looked almost exactly like a young wheat plant. It seems that part of Jesus’ teaching was that we are far too quick to see people as “good” or “bad” based on very partial knowledge about them. What helps you avoid judging people too quickly based on limited information?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, free me from the inner wish to “play God” over others, to do your work. Keep me growing the fruit of your spirit in my life, including the fruit of patience. Amen