Do you avoid interacting with those who are far from God? Jesus addressed this as He concluded His Parable of the Weeds, revealing the inevitable fate of weeds and wheat, our intended focus, and His ultimate desire.

At the harvest, the weeds are burned and the wheat is barned (see Matthew 13:28b-30, 39b-42). The weeds represent those outside a saving relationship with Christ. The wheat portrays those who have fully surrendered their lives to Him. The servants had asked the farmer if they should pull the weeds (see Matthew 13:28b). “No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up 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 13:29-30).

Jesus explained this to His disciples (see Matthew 13:39b-42). The harvest is the end of the age (see Matthew 13:39b). The harvesters are angels (see Matthew 13:39c). The weeds are burned. Jesus used His frequent imagery for hell (see Matthew 13:40-42). The wheat is barned: the righteous will shine like the sun, free from evil (see Matthew 13:43).

When frustrated with the existence of evil, repent: At harvest, the weeds and the wheat are distinguishable and judged. Repent means “to change one’s mind.” We reap what we sow, yet we are never beyond the reach of Christ (see Galatians 6:7-10). Consequently, we must not only repent of our sin against God, we must repent of our sin against others, (withholding the kingdom of God from them), and invest in them to be in Christ, turning from weeds to wheat.

We live with the presence of evil because God wants all weeds to become wheat (see 2 Peter 3:9). Jesus said that when we surrender our lives to Christ as Lord and Savior, we cross from weeds to wheat, from death to life; judgment has occurred (see John 5:24-27). This is made possible by the One who gave Himself for the weeds. Jesus taught: “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24).

Are you unrepentant of a judgmental attitude toward those you perceive as evil, withholding an eternal investment in them? Repent. See life differently. Make your muscles move with your prayers by serving someone outside Christ.

Remember that weeds and wheat coexist until harvest, and sometimes, the two are indistinguishable. Repent of wanting to uproot evil people from your life, and invest in them to move from weeds to wheat.

Episode 254: Parable of the Weeds from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.