Weeds

I have mixed emotions about weeds.  Well, mostly I despise them for being such a nuisance in my flowerbeds.  But occasionally I come across a weed with such a simple beauty that I am compelled to leave it where it grows.  There are actually times when I will photograph one of my weeds, such as the one pictured at the right.  How can one not appreciate the delicate, fringe-like white petals, the warm, golden eye, and the the understated beauty of this little plant?  I am even drawn to its slightly bitter fragrance as it evokes memories of walking through the pasture behind the little white frame house where I lived as a small child.  Why not enjoy the weeds?  After all, they are technically "native plants."

As gardeners, plant-enthusiasts or landscape designers, it seems as if we have a tendency to tinker too much with nature. 

In my back yard alone, I have removed sod, pulled weeds (or should I say, native plants?), installed perennial beds, planted shrubs, added mulch, and proceeded to work myself to near exhaustion in an effort to maintain the look I've so meticulously created.  I peer out my kitchen window each morning to appreciate my efforts and enjoy the results; but, I don't see the beauty.  All I tend to see are the weeds that continually re-appear, despite my best efforts to keep them at bay.  Granted, visitors to my garden aren't nearly as critical.  They politely "ooh" and "aah" over my choice of plants and my placement of paths and hardscape.  All the while I am apologizing for the half-dozen or so weeds that have popped their heads through the soil since my last trip through the garden.  Without my bringing attention to them, my friends probably wouldn't have even noticed.  But my glaring horticultural faux pas are all I can see.  I've let my obsession with perfection get in the way of my enjoyment that was the intention of putting in my garden in the first place.

One thing about weeds... being the "native plants" that they are, their horticultural DNA has been intricately designed to allow them to survive, and even thrive, through the most extreme conditions of their natural habitat.  In this there is both a good side and a bad side.  Weeds have the propensity to multiply and spread one-hundred-fold over the cultivated plants in my garden.  In other words, they will take over the plants that I've spent my hard-earned money for.  With no care at all given them, weeds have the power to choke out completely the plants that I water, fertilize and pamper.  Weeds in my garden are the equivalent to sin in my life.  It's what happens if I don't keep it in check.  A watchful eye and a dedicated soul are required to prevent weeds and sin from taking over.

Driving through the countryside in the eastern Arkansas delta, I slow my vehicle to allow myself the opportunity to take in the beauty of the hilly pastures and the swampy bottom lands.  God is such a wonderful landscaper... truly THE Master Gardener.  The plants that re-appear year after year in those pastures and swamps never need watering or fertilizing.  They require no pruning or mulching.  They have been placed with great care in an area where they have been designed to flourish without human intervention.  When I take in sights like these, I realize that often things are better left alone.  This is where I see the good side of those native plants to which we refer as weeds.  It seems as Someone knows a great deal more than I about how things should be.


How many things, I wonder, have been put in my life by "that Someone," that I have decided would be better if they were changed, moved, or even removed completely? Perhaps it's more appropriate to ask myself how often I have been planted in a particular place, at a particular time, and I've chosen to pull myself up by my roots and transplant myself in a more comfortable situation and a more familiar location.  In other words... how many times have I failed to "bloom where I was planted"?  For more on this topic, watch for my post entitled "IBM's."


Some of those things put into our lives fall under the category of personality traits.  Some of those things may be considered talents.  Some are circumstances and experiences.  Whatever they may be, each of them either has been placed in our lives, or permitted to be a part of our lives.  They are there to allow us to accomplish the purpose God has given us for our lives, or to teach us something valuable He wants us to know and to draw us closer to Himself.


I have a personality trait that I would sometimes like to "weed out" of my life.  I am a list-maker.  My husband would tell you that I am a compulsive list-maker.  Even as I sit at my computer keyboard, there is a notepad in front of me with seven things written down that I need to remember to do today.  My family makes endless fun of my lists.  Sometimes I feel lost without my lists.  But that is a part of the personality that God gave me; it coincides with the spiritual gift of administration that He has given me.  As much as I would like to change that trait about myself sometimes, and become more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants type of person, it is who He made me.  And He made me that way for a reason.


I have experienced some things in my life that I wouldn't wish on anyone.  I've gone through a divorce.  I've lost a parent to cancer.  I've watched one of my children battle years of drug and alcohol addiction, resulting in time spent in prison.  Why couldn't some of these "weeds" have been pulled from my life?  Who needs ugly things like those ruining the perfectly-manicured look of my life garden?


Now that I am able to look back on many, but not all, of those events as past experiences, I can see how God has used some of them to grow me spiritually.  I can see how He has comforted me and carried me through some of them as He was equipping me later to minister to others facing similar situations.  I can see many lessons He has taught me.  And in some instances I am still learning to trust Him to see me through and bring some good out of horrible circumstances.


There is not a weed in my life garden that God has not allowed to present itself, or that He has not lovingly placed there Himself.  Some are meant to be watched for and pulled to prevent destruction and ruin of the garden.  Some are often hidden, needing to be pointed out to me by my Master Gardener so that I may deal with them as He tells me.  Some are simply meant to remain as a delicately and simply-designed thing of beauty that needs no constant effort on my part effort to maintain.  In the end, perhaps these will be gathered and brought together as a wonderful bouquet to present to someone in a time of need.




"... 'Where then did the weeds come from?'  'An enemy did this,' he replied.  The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?'  'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them.  Let them 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 13:27b-30