Of Weeds and Health

"He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. ²⁷And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?” He answered, “An enemy has done this.” The slaves said to him, “Then do you want us to go and gather them?” But he replied, “No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’  Matthew 13:24-30 NRSV

I apologize for yesterday's silence.  We had a sleep-over of 10 year olds the night before, and while the kids were just great-- I don't do lack of sleep very well anymore.  Had thoughts for the blog but too wiped out to write yesterday. 

Yesterday morning I escaped the house... I mean, I went for my daily morning stroll of the yard and garden :-)  and went to check on some herbs I'd planted in the 'back 40'.  A week or two ago, my husband mentioned that there were just weeds sprouting up, and did I want him to till it all back under.  I shared with him this parable by Jesus, and that I was approaching the weeds in the same way.  I meant it, and thought it would make some sense to let things grow a bit more before I would start pulling.  However, standing there in the garden and seeing just a sea of weeds, I wondered at the wisdom of following Jesus' parable for my gardening tips.  Now, really, I know that Jesus meant much more than just farming tips when he taught.

Looking at the amount of weeds, I felt the futility of trying to overcome the weeds. But because I'm stubborn, (and didn't want to admit to my husband that my comment on the parables was really a way to stall on weeding!)  I started slowly pulling weeds.  With sweat dripping off my nose, and dizziness coming close behind, I was about to give up when I saw it.   It was a plant I didn't recognize.  It was not a weed, but one of the herbs I'd planted.  If I would have just dug it all up with a hoe, I would have missed these healthy plants growing.

Now, I have to say that there are just a few good plants and a lot of weeds, but the whole experience taught me a couple of things:  in thinking of chronic illness, it struck me that in our wilderness struggle we too can be overcome by difficult symptoms-- the weeds, if you will.  But these 'weeds' can eventually help us distinguish the path to health.  Yesterday I also heard that a friend who has been experiencing unknown health problems had to be hospitalized, and because of the difficulties, the doctors were able to find what may be wrong and may now have more of a path to helping her feel better.  My prayers continue for you, and for all of us who wrestle with the weeds of un-health.

I also realized that, like weeding my garden, there are many times when I can't do it all at once, but must word a day at a time, a bit at a time to help the healthy parts grow. After three years, there are times when I'm not sure anymore what 'health' even looks like, and so when I see that unfamiliar plant of health growing in me, it takes care and nurture to figure out how to keep it growing.

The other thing that struck me strongly was how patient, wise and infinately more gracious God is-- as Jesus shared in the parable.  God has the ability to take what looks like a mess, and let growing happen in ways that I cannot always understand, and often would rebel against.  God's wisdom is greater my wisdom, even when it seems and feels like I'm only growing weeds in my life.

Today I will take the garden, and my life, one step at a time.  Weed a bit more, and nurture what I can, and pray that God may give me patience to do this in my life as well as in my garden.

God of Growth and Grace, this wilderness can be so overwhelming sometimes as we feel lousy, and it may seem that only the weeds of un-health are growing around us.  Give us the eyes to see the tender shoots of health that you plant in our lives, and help us patiently, carefully nurture them.
Amen.