January 22 | Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

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DAILY READING

Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

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REFLECTION

Trusting God's Judgment

by Pr. Dave Mann

The parable of the weeds (delivered in vv. 24-30 and then explained in vv. 36-43) can be a frustrating parable for us. A man plants his field with good seed (the Word of God), but at night the enemy (the devil) sows the seed of weeds in the same ground. Once both types of seed sprout, it is clear that the field, intended to be full of only good seed, is contaminated by the bad seed. The workers, frustrated and disgusted with the situation, want to “clean up” the field by pulling out the weeds early in the growing season. However, the owner wants to hear nothing of the workers’ plan, knowing that their zeal to purify the field would no doubt bring the demise of many good plants.

The owner is content to let both types of seed grow to full maturity until the harvest, when the identity of each would be perfectly clear, and the two different plants would be easily separated—an action that corresponds to the final judgment, which is entrusted to the hands of the reapers (angels), not the fallible workers (humans).

Our attitude is often that of the workers. We are frustrated that the world (and even the church) is a mixture of the good and bad, the righteous and the unrighteous. We ask the Lord to separate the wheat and chaff right away. We even desire to “help” God by offering to be his agents in the separating process. But God, in his sovereign wisdom, does not accord to us the responsibility of ridding the world of those whom we have identified as the weeds, the undesirables of the world. We want the Lord’s field to be neat and tidy, but God is not concerned about “looking good.” God is more concerned about the eternal safety of those who are saved, but perhaps not sanctified enough for our preferences. God does not want any of his precious sons and daughters to be lost, based on our fallible human standards. (See John 6:39 and John 17:12.)

The Lord’s patience is greater than ours. We prefer swift, even whimsical justice. God is willing to endure the ambiguous time of the growing season until the harvest. In this way, God challenges us to trust him and his timing, until the day of judgment which will surely come, and when it does come, it will be just. 

PRAYER

Lord, you who are the only just and righteous judge in the world, grant that we may trust your wisdom and your judgment in such a way that we learn to imitate your patience and your love, in Jesus’ name, Amen.