Wheat and Tares

But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.

(Matthew 13:29, NKJV)

Have you ever carried an expectations of great results in relation to something only to get a different outcome?  As I thought of times we apply for a job which feels like the perfect fit.  We prepare the application letter, research on the employer, do our practice interview and get ready for the interview date. The interview goes well and one leaves the office or environment feeling encouraged and very hopeful, - all that he is waiting for is a call or communication on the job start date.  The anticipation for this new job is all that one thinks about and all other plans are made around the expected start date.  After a wait, communication from the company comes through and the news is not what was expected.  The struggle to understand what went wrong leads many to self-doubt as they question the outcome, noting that all indicators were positive. 

Our reference verse presents a situation where the expected yield of wheat is now interfered with by the tares.  To the farmer, this is a confusing stage which would make one wonder whether the full yield expected will be realized.  As I reflected on this farmer’s scenario, I observed that things are not always as they appear to be.  The parable that Jesus gave here applies to those of us who are called people of faith.  It is true that looking at the physical appearance of people, it is often difficult to tell if they are believers in Jesus Christ or not.  The culture of the world has infiltrated the hearts of those who are believers, sadly influencing our speech, dressing and actions.  The new age messages have led to compromises and camourflaging of behaviours of the followers of Christ Jesus.  It would appear that one would think of someone as believers only to find out later, that they are not on the same path.  The bible reminds us that the heart of man is deceitful above all else in creation (Jeremiah 17:9).  While we do not know the truth of the heart, God knows.  In the parable of Jesus, the wheat and the tares were differentiated by their harvest and so is the same with our lives.  As I studied the different fruits between wheat and tares, I learnt that the colour of the plant when checked keenly is different, and the fruit is also different.  The character of the plant also shows the difference, when the tares crown their harvest, the leaves stand stand straight.  For the wheat plant, on crowning the fruit, the leaves bow on the weight of the produce.  I interpreted this as the tare standing proudly to show its success while the wheat bows in weakness for having given its very best.

Brethren, to compare the wheat and the tares, we note that those who follow Jesus faithfully behave differently and bare different fruits from those following a different spirit.  God is the ultimate judge (James 4:12) and He gives us hints on how we differentiate the people. The bible says that the righteous will shine forth as the sun (Matthew 13:43).  It is the fruit which shows the plant from which it grew and the root it came from.  When we look for the fruit, then we shall know the plant that we have been dealing with.

 Thoughts:

What are you growing?

How are you holding your fruit?

What is your reflection of this message?