Lessons From My GardenUkázka

Weeds or Flowers? It was springtime, my favorite time of year. As I was digging the weeds from my flower garden, I spotted some “volunteer” plants—bonus plants which grew from seeds that dropped from the previous season. These small seedlings looked like the marigolds that grew in this same plot the year before. How exciting! Free flowers! The tiny plants appeared to have the same green lanced leaves and the dark, almost-black stalk as marigolds. I carefully cultivated around them and added more flowering plants. Soon, I would have a flower garden full of beautiful blooms! I watered often and carefully, and they grew. Sadly, when the flowers appeared on these free plants, I discovered they were not marigolds with their cheerful orange and yellow flower globes. These blooms were small and an ugly dark yellow and very disappointing. I was growing weeds! Rather than rooting out the plants when I first discovered my error, I left them to grow a few days more. The flowers quickly turned to seed heads and dropped their stickery seeds, beginning another cycle of these ugly, counterfeit flowers! I learned an important lesson that year—the difference in the weed and the marigold. I learned this by studying the true flower. As I studied the distinct color of green, the right placement of leaves on the stalk—all the particulars of the marigold—it quickly became apparent that my original observations of the false marigold were totally wrong. No longer would I be deceived and allow my beautiful flower beds to be infested with this weed. This principle also holds true for our hearts and spirits. With close observation, and time spent with the standard of rightness —God’s Word—we will discern what is false or sinful in our lives. Near-truths will not deceive us to rapidly spread and multiply. Knowing and believing the truth—what God says—will prevent the growth of deception and lies which crowd and consume our hearts and minds. Only by studying Truth will we recognize the counterfeit. What are you allowing to grow in your heart and mind? Are you able to recognize the counterfeit from the Truth? Which beliefs need to be fed? Which need to be weeded out? There are natural and spiritual laws at work in this garden metaphor. Whatever we allow to grow produces even more. This is true for weeds and sin. But thankfully, it is also true for love and faith.