We have a beautiful flower bed outside our big picture window in the family room. It is our natural art wall. You know the one that you look out at and instantly feel yourself releasing an "AHHHHH" Well lately that "AHHHHH" has been an "EWWWW". The weeds have broken through the earth and unleashed themselves in this flower bed in a major way. The beautiful shrubs and flowers were being so invaded that the life was literally being choked out of them. It was time to step out of my comfortable, air-conditioned, living room and out into the hot, uncomfortable flower bed.
For hours the kids and I pulled and sweated. We were dirty, sore, and hot. We would complete a section and stop to look up and the difference would be overwhelming between the section that had been cared for and the section that still needed a firm hand. We continued well into the next day to complete the whole process. There was such a sense of satisfaction to restore the beauty back to that flower bed. We were able to release the flowers, trees, and shrubs from the choking hold that the weeds had on their roots and branches. The plants are now free to stretch and grow once again.
As I pulled in that flower bed the visual picture of what the weeds of sin would look like inside the beauty of my creation. What branches of my character were at that moment being choked by the sin that was creeping up through my landscape. What landscaping was showing? The one that releases an "AHHHHH" or an "EWWWW"?
The past few months have been very challenging for me. You see back in February I made a commitment to weed the flower-bed of my heart. Some of the weeds were easy to pull. It didn't take too much effort to get them out as their roots were shallow. I haven't minded that little bit of housekeeping. Then there are the weeds that have the big daddy tap roots on them. They are the ones that make the job challenging.
I am writing to share 3 little principles that I have found while on this process.
1. Weeding is necessary to save and protect the good in the garden. We need to keep the weeds at bay so that good healthy growth can continue.
2. The beauty in the garden is dependent on clearing out the ugly weeds. We are the beauty of God's creation. It is our jobs as Christians to draw people in and show the "AHHHH" that He continues to make of us.
3. The job may be extremely challenging but there is always a reward at the end. The reward of the beauty of the garden once again showing through, the rewards that lay in store for us in Heaven.
I encourage you to get out there and get dirty. There will be rewards waiting for you at the end.
Happy Weeding All!
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