365 Devotionals

Don't Cultivate the Weeds

Dont' Cultivate the Weeds

My poor flowers get only a small amount of time and care. I love them dearly, but I seem to always shove them into the leftover bits of time, placed there perhaps by my distorted sense of what is really important. Today, with the promise of a full morning at home, I turned to them early to give them at least a drink of water in the cool of the day.

I noticed two sturdy plants growing proudly (as if they belonged) in among the bachelor buttons. Not jammed in and with plenty of space around them, they  weren't crowding any plant. They looked healthy and pretty, as though soon they might present me with a lovely gem, though I knew they were only weeds. But I gave them a drink and though, "I don't have enough flowers, anyway; let them stay. They aren't causing any harm. Besides, some of the weeds aren't so bad."

And then I thought, Weeds in my life get watered too! Where there is not enough fruit growing for Jesus, there is plenty of room for weeds. Not really bad things, just little things that some people say are alright.

But what is a weed, anyway? How can one so readily place something that is attractive into the category of "weeds"? It's easy to tell. Give them time and they're shoving, pushing at anything and everything to make room for themselves. They want all of the room, all of the time.

Here's a safe test we can bring to something that troubles us as to the category in which it belongs. By its fruit we will know it. Every act of our lives creates a desire either for more room for Jesus, or more room for itself.

I have a little girl of three

Who is a rare delight to see; 

To satisfy her childish needs

She loves to dig and transplant weeds.

I otice how with loving care

She plants a weed and pats it there;

The scene aroused in me a thought - 

What do we plant that we should not?

Imagination sees the weed

Of selfishness - prolific seed,

That scattered on the winds of strife

Will choke the flower of spiritual life.

I see the nourishment we give

To strengthen doubt, that it might live;

The earnest thought we waste on man,

So fail to note our Saviour's plan.

The fairy flowers of useless play

Exploding to destroy a day - 

The deadly root of "getting things,"

That grounds the soul and clips its wings.

We must present our garden clean,

For God's great sickle soon will glean.

What little time is left to start

His righteous planting in the heart!

- anonymous