Weeds

My little potted garden is such a source of inspiration to me. It seems that every time I go out on my porch to work with my trees and flowers God gives me a deep thought to ponder. This morning was no different. On my back porch I have several potted trees. The Benjamin Ficas is the one I was working on. When I first moved into my apartment, it was pretty much dead. I don’t even think it had leaves. Dead reed type grass stuck up in the pot at the base of the tree – jutting out in browns and yellows. It made me sad to think it would die so I began watering it daily. After a time it really began to perk up. I was so happy. The tree had come back to life and even the brown grass began to see green growing up in between it.

It has been several years since I began this relationship with my Ficas. It has grown so much and the leaves are green and healthy. And every now and again I have to cut the grass that grows around it since it grows so high and looks untidy. Cutting my grass was the task on my list today. It had been way too long and the long green weeds were out of control. I got my scissors (which make a great lawnmower!) out and began to cut back the green. As I worked I remembered my brother telling me when he visited last that I could pull out the dead brown weeds to make more room for the green to grow. What a novel idea. I had left all the dead stuff from when I first moved here – not even thinking that I could get rid of it. Thinking this was a good idea, I began pulling the brown out in large clumps. Only it wasn’t just the dead stuff that was coming. The green grass was being pulled out as well. At first I was saddened by the thought of losing my mini lawn, but then the thought hit me “It’s not grass at all – it’s weeds out of control and if I remove all the weeds, dead and alive, it will give the tree more room to grow.” That was my thought to ponder.

Immediately I thought of my life. Have I been nurturing the weeds that grow in my life? Do I cut them back when they get too unruly so they look like real grass all the while not realizing that it’s not grass at all but weeds that choke out the healthy life God wants for me? I wonder how many weeds are growing in my life. I wonder if it’s easier for others to see the weeds than for me to see them. I wonder if I have the courage to pull them out. Or even better, I wonder if I am brave enough to allow God to pull them out. He certainly can get the root whereas I often just get the top off only to have it grow back up again. Hmmm.

Weeds.

Maybe if the weeds are pulled out, real grass can be planted in its place. Maybe in the place of bitterness there would be a sweet disposition. In place of jealousy and envy there would be thankfulness and contentment. Joy instead of sorrow. Hope instead of despair. Security instead of fear. Praise instead of complaints. Truth instead of lies.

Oh Lord, Gardener of my soul, please pull out the weeds that have been growing unchecked in the soil of my heart. Pull them out by their roots so they will no longer have residence within me and leave in their place the seeds of righteousness and love.