While subduing my little plot of dirt the other day I happened to be thinking on the abundant weeds that manifest themselves in the spring and how they disappear when the heat sets in and the grass really begins to grow. This is normal thought for me seeing as how my plot is not one that gets lavish resources sprinkled on it in the form of anything other than regular and thorough trimming, manicuring and clearing of limbs and therefore “God’s acre” has many weeds.
However, this is the first time that my thought went from weeds to a kingdom principle. Here it is:
Weeds produce cute little flowers and appear fruitful…for a time. When the heat of the summer hits and the super cool mornings are gone so are the weeds. The cute little flowers disappear and the weeds either die or go into hibernation. These weeds multiply, not doubt, but they produce other weeds that just make other weeds that can’t last and they come and go with what suits making weeds.
Similarly, the fruit bearing trees and plants enjoy the start of spring with nice little flowers and tremendous growth. By contrast, however, the fruit bearing plants do something differing when the temperatures get turned up. These guy’s flowers turn into little fruits. A transformation happens. The flowers don’t drop off; the flowers change into something different…fruit. Now this fruit is not ready to eat. This fruit needs summer, heat and fall dryness, but when those elements are applied to this little bud of fruit something sweet and useful happens. Heat and dry conditions produce sweet fruit that feeds other creatures and humans and multiplies itself for further production.
Like the weed, the one who does not follow Jesus can produce pretty things and do so for a season but that production does not feed man’s true need and does not produce true multiplication. No doubt the little flower is pretty, but the flower won’t feed, heal and produce feeding and healing fruit. The one not following Jesus does multiply, but they multiply kind for kind, and that kind folds when the heat is on in the end.
Like the fruit bearing plants, the follower of Jesus makes a pretty flower but the heat of affliction does not kill the flower or stop production. The good Vinedresser provides heat and dryness because that’s what makes good and sweet fruit. It’s the way of the transforming kingdom. Like King like subjects. The King is a suffering and victorious fruit bearing king, and the king’s subjects are a suffering and victorious fruit bearing people. The Vinedresser, fully in charge of the heat and dryness, sends them because it’s the only way to make sweet fruit. Fruit bearing plants stay with the Vinedresser’s way because they are fruit bearing plants not weeds.
- Don’t despise the heat and dryness of affliction. They are necessary.
- Trust the Vinedresser (See John 15).
- Expect fruit…righteousness, holiness, peace, joy, effectiveness, multiplication.
- Be wary of fruitlessness. 2 Corinthians 13:5 is a good command. Test yourself. Test for fruit. Weeds don’t make fruit. If there is no increasing fruit then repent and believe the gospel. In case you don’t know the gospel, then let me provide you with a presentation of it.
Theology in the Dirt 