Wheat and weeds (August, 2005)

Jay takes us to the logical conclusion of a "purged and purified church", where we've "shed the scabrous doubters and skulking sinners," and it really isn't what we want. And with Jesus's parable of the wheat and the weeds, Jay reminds us that that isn't what God wants either.

[Leaving the weeds] makes some people's skin crawl. As Craddock puts it, "What? Just leave the weeds in there with the wheat? ...Isn't there any such a thing as right and wrong, good and evil, true and false? We need to take a stand. We need to draw the line. We need to say, 'You stay and you go.' ... But the boss said, 'Leave the weeds alone.'"

I find myself in situations where I'm torn between similar choices. Do I boldly confront this person, or try some other approach? Am I just being a coward if I choose not to confront it in the boldest manner I know?

When faced with decisions like this, I try to work backwards from the end result. I picture myself standing before God on the last day, and we're reviewing this sitution. Will He say to me, "Why didn't you confront him, let him know what I think of his behavior?" Or, will He say, "You had an opportunity to influence that guy, but you blew it with your strident tone."

Sometimes we can't tell wheat from weeds... [Craddock:]"I thought it was a weed. I do not know a weed from a flower."

I've been wrong each way before.

To ponder:

• The parable of the wheat and weeds: Matthew 13:24-29.


• Read 1 Corinthians 5, then 2 Corinthians 2:5-11 and 7:8-13. What are Paul's goals in these two dealings? How are the circumstances similar or different than Jesus' parable?


• Read Galatians 6:1-2. How does Paul's attitude here contrast with 1 Cor. 5? Why the contrast?


• Read 2 Timothy 2:24-25. How does this apply?