Stop Ignoring the Weeds!

We recently had a special ministry event at the church. Members prepared and delivered a quick lunch to some of our community’s first responders. After I had gone throughout the building scoping out the preparations and chatting up some of the servers, I headed home. As I reached the entrance and exit drive just off the parking lot, I saw an unusual sight.

The job's not done yet! 😒
Image: png.com

I thought at first that one of our pastors was trying to move a very large rock that was in the median all by himself. I stopped, rolled down my window, held up my phone and said, “Now that’s a pic for my next blog!” I had misunderstood the situation! The pastor laughed and explained that he was pulling weeds, while stationed at the church entrance to direct visitors toward the event serving area.

I set my four-way flashers and got out of the car to chat with him for a little while about those pesky weeds. We commiserated together about the copious amounts and different kinds of weeds that were encroaching upon the rocked landscaping areas of our church and our residential properties as well. It was keeping both of us busy, this growing season, trying to spray and pull to eradicate them!

In my neighborhood, I often witness how various property owners can precisely mow the grass in their yards without missing a blade or patch, but at the same time have little or no concern for the crop of weeds growing around the edges of the driveway, sidewalk, the base of the trees, in the landscape rock or mulch, or even standing almost a foot tall in the cracks of their driveways!

The pastor and I asked each other incredulously (if not obsessively!), “How is that possible? It would drive me crazy pulling into that concrete, weeded jungle each day!” For me, weeding has become an endless and yet important complementary chore in summer yard work! I like the “finished look,” although I must admit that it seems to me that the job is never completed or finished!

You can probably tell where this is going. There are “weeding influences” in our spiritual lives that are unsightly, unproductive, and unpleasing to our Lord. Sin is the ultimate encroachment! The Apostle John warns and instructs us, “If we claim that we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves. A claim like that is errant nonsense. On the other hand, if we admit our sins – simply come clean about them – He won’t let us down; He’ll be true to Himself. He’ll forgive our sins and purge us of all wrongdoing.” (1 John 1:8-9, The Message).

Let’s be honest about this! Sin is sapping our vitality, staining our influence, and spiritually crippling our relationship with the Lord. You and I can’t pretend this isn’t so or ignore the “weeds of sin” without consequence. We can’t pretend or brush this subject under the proverbial rug as if to try and hide it.

Sin needs immediate attention. It is always preferable to deal with our failings in the moment. Acknowledgment and confession of sin should be done the instant the Holy Spirit calls the problem to our attention. The “gift” of conviction is for our benefit. Sin affects us and God who is holy, cannot coexist in our hearts with it. That’s why believers have that immediate feeling of misery when our thoughts and behaviors displease God.

Sin is a serious problem. Prayerfully confront it. Read God’s Word each day and let it be your guidebook for righteous and moral living. Acknowledging our Shepherd God, David’s request models for us a simple prayer I like to pray as I get out of bed each day, “Guide me in the right paths, bringing honor to Your Name!” (Psalm 23:3).

A final word…This is my 300^th blog article. Six years ago, I began writing these musings not knowing what the response would be. God has blessed the readership over the years. This half year we have already had an amazing total of pageviews that has exceeded more than 10,000 pageviews for two consecutive months! We are closing in on 190,000 total views since August 2018! These responses have occurred in countries from every continent throughout the world. I never imagined such a response to these humble offerings. Thank you for not only reading, but also sharing this blog site with your friends! With your blessing, I intend to continue posting weekly articles about faith, family, and leadership on Serve by Design through this website: mjkministries.com

Thanks again, dear friends and readers, for your encouragement, prayers, and the investment of your time. You are a blessing!

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,

active churchman and

doting grandparent.

Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com 

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