Matthew 13: 24-30
Jesus
proposed a parable to the crowds.
“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
Why does God allow evil in the world? Why doesn’t he just
pluck it up from our midst? Evil exists so that love can exist. Evil exists so
that there is a choice. Love cannot be forced. It can only be chosen. For love
to exist something other than love has to also exist to give us a choice
between the two.
Every seed God sows is good seed. Every creature he makes
is a good creature. The enemy turns the good into evil by getting them to
choose something more than God. But just as the evil one can turn someone away
from God love can turn them back towards God. Therefore, God cannot pluck out
the evil among us without also plucking the good within the evil.
In the end God will know the good from the bad by the
fruits they produce. Those who choose to love others will be gathered for the
Lord’s barn. Those who choose to love themselves will be gathered for burning.
Holy Scripture is full of this poetic language. It all
comes down to who you love. If you love others you will the best for them. Love
will be returned to you in the form of mercy at the time of judgment. If you
choose to love yourself love will be given to you in the form of justice.
Are
you wheat or weed?
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