Photo and Commentary ©2022 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Not being a farmer by trade, perhaps I can be excused for not
correctly identifying the two plants portrayed in this picture. My
best guess is that one is wheat while the other is some type of grass
or tare; in other words, a weed. This brings to mind a familiar
parable of Christ found in Matthew 13. There Jesus relates a story
that undoubtedly had great meaning to his hearers whose daily survival
depended upon a successful crop. Anything that might disrupt the
yearly harvest could spell famine for the ensuing year.
You recall how a man invested capital and labor to plant a field in
hopes of receiving a bountiful crop at harvest time. The plot
thickens when the story reveals an enemy has planted weed seed in his
field to disrupt his agricultural hopes. This was a subtle action,
one done while the owner was fast asleep; no fisticuffs or full flank
movements, only the sowing of bad seed at night. It’s quite likely
the surprising part of the story came at the end where, in verse 30,
Jesus tells His listeners to let the two grow together until the
harvest when God would take care of things. That must have been a
hard pill to swallow for someone whose life depended upon proper care
of the fields. You’ll notice too, at least in this illustration, the
weeds are growing faster than the wheat; an idea not unfamiliar to
those of us who have a flower garden.