23-Jul-23 (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)

In today's scripture Jesus told another story about a farmer planting grain. But in this story, someone else planted weeds in the same field. What's wrong with weeds? [wait for answers]
Now the farmer in the story gives his workers some really odd instructions: He says, "Let the weeds and good seed grow together. When it comes time for the harvest, we'll sort them out."
Now this kind of story is what we call a metaphor. It's a story where one thing represents something else. The idea is that when you understand how the one thing works, you can understand something about how the other works. In this case Jesus is talking about the way God works. Let's see if we can figure this out.
Let's think about the good seed being the Good News of God's love for all of us. God shows us that love and sends people into our lives to tell us about it so, when it grows we begin to love God and others.
What do you think the weeds could be? [Wait for answers]
I think the weeds can be all kinds of things. They can be anything that might distract us and keep us from loving God and others can be like the weeds that grow up in our lives. In our lives there may be a lot of these things and we won't be rid of them until this life is over.
So what we need to do is realize that those weeds will be there and not let them distract us, not let them keep us from loving God and others.
Let's talk to God about that.

God, we pray that you would help us to pay attention to the Good News of your love for all. We pray that you would let that good seed grow up within us so that we can love you and love others. We know that there will be many things in our lives that could distract us and keep us from doing that. Help us to be strong. Help us to keep our attention on you. And, when we don't, thank you for forgiving us and giving us a way to try again.
We pray in Jesus' name.
AMEN.