Whose job is it anyway? – July 27, 2023

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 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.’”
Matthew 13:28-30

Whose job is it anyway?

The man’s servants thought they were doing the right thing. An enemy had sabotaged his wheat with weeds. Once they realized those nasty weeds were breaking through the ground alongside the good wheat, they offered to do what seemed most practical—pull up the weeds, but there was a problem. These particular weeds would look just like the wheat until harvest, when weeds and wheat were fully grown and could show their real identity.

The man knew what kind of unintentional damage his well-intentioned servants could do to his crop. Their efforts to uproot the weeds could do more damage than simply letting the weeds grow until harvest. Others would do the job of separating weeds and wheat.

Following Jesus in a world where evil is constantly present, what can we do to work for good in our world? Is it our job to root out evil? Is it our job to separate the weeds from the wheat in the world? Is it our job to do God’s work of judgment? No! If we were to do so, we could end up ruining good gospel work that our God has already done. Instead, God has a plan to carry out that work at the proper time. At the end of the world, he will send his angels to separate believers and unbelievers.

So how can we work for good while evil remains present? We look to the Lord of the harvest. We rejoice in his patience with sinners like us. We take every opportunity to receive forgiveness for our frustrated hearts. Then we let his love for others flow through our service to them. That’s our job. God will take care of the rest.

Prayer:
Jesus Christ do not delay, but come quickly to deliver your people. According to your will, give me opportunity to share the good news of your patient love with others in my life. Amen.