Laced With Grace – Christian Devotions

Separating the Weeds from the Fruit

By Laurie July 16, 2019 Inspirational, Life, Reflection

Every year, my husband plants a big garden. In fact, our backyard gets smaller and smaller every year as he expands his gardening plot. He works tirelessly; planting, weeding, watering, picking and canning all of his goodies.

I, on the other hand, do not have a green thumb in my entire body. I couldn’t tell you what is a plant and what is a weed. When I go outside to look at his garden, he very proudly tells me, “Over there is thyme and this row here, are all carrots “, he keeps pointing to things that just look like weeds to me, ” and that area over there is oregano and beets”. Honestly, I do not know how he knows what is where before the plants bloom.

Sometimes, when I look around the world that we live in, it seems the same to me. It is difficult to tell the weeds from the fruit. The enemy has made sure that those things that are not fruitful appear to be very productive. I am not just talking about being unproductive in our jobs, I am thinking about all of the ways that I have become unproductive in my thoughts, in my actions and in my ministry.

In order to recognize the weeds in our own hearts, we must first know what fruit actually looks like. We find the description in the Book of Galatians:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22,23)

Here, we see the standard set. If the things that we are investing our time and energy into are not producing these kinds of fruit, then perhaps what we are producing in our lives is nothing but weeds.

In my husband’s garden, if he did not pluck the weeds out on a continual basis, the weeds would overtake the fruit and vegetable plants and in the end, my husband would have nothing to show for his hard work. He would not reap anything productive.

In my heart and in my life, I want to reap good fruit. But first, I must recognize the weeds from the fruit. How about you, are you prepared to do some plucking?

BLESSINGS, Laurie

@copyright2019 laurieadams

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2 thoughts on “Separating the Weeds from the Fruit”

  1. Luwana Locke

    I have given much thought to this metaphor as I live in it like your husband.
    Weeds have to come out in the early stages.