Tuesday 14 October 2025
"Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn." (v. 30)
Background
In chapter 13 Matthew records Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom of heaven. Jesus uses five parables to get across his points. A parable being a short story to illustrate a truth.
In verses 24-30 we read the Parable of the Weeds. Here, Jesus is making the point that there is both good, which is the wheat, and evil which are the weeds, and they are both growing together in the same field.
When the weeds are discovered, the servants are keen to pull up the weeds, but the owner refuses, saying if you do so, you will pull up some of the wheat also. His concern is that as much good wheat as possible is allowed to grow to harvest, and only then will the weeds be gathered and destroyed.
As a prison chaplain I often hear the view that prisoners are 'the weeds of society' – to be judged, removed and discarded. By contrast, those who have not been condemned to serve time are 'the good' – the wheat. My experience is that those held in prison are a mixture of weed and wheat, capable of both good and evil.
If we are honest, we know that the same is true for ourselves. Within each of us is a mixture of both weed and wheat. We are simultaneously saint and sinner. That’s the mystery of holding weeds and wheat together in our one field of life. It takes a lot more patience, compassion, forgiveness and love than aiming for some illusory perfection that usually blinds us to our faults and blinds us to the good in others we might want to condemn.
Learning how to love God, our neighbour, our enemies and ourselves, which is truly realising the kingdom of heaven on earth, is quite simply learning to accept our messy reality. If you love anyone, then you have learned to accept them as they are, despite their faults. You may see a few things you’d like to change or ‘pull up’ in yourself and others, but by the spirit of God within you, you are able to trust that the good is deeper than the bad and that the weeds will ultimately be destroyed and the wheat will be safely gathered in.
To Ponder:
- Are there areas of your life that you struggle to accept and be honest about?
- Why does everyone in society seem much more content to point the finger at others, rather than be honest about themselves?
- What might you need to do to allow the love of God into all areas of your life?
Prayer
Divine presence, God who sees, knows and loves all of creation, help us to let go of all judgement and blindness that we cling to, that keeps us being fully honest with you, with ourselves and with each other. Help us to see and love ourselves and others as you do, trusting that your refining love will ultimately destroy all evil, and gather all goodness in each of us as you gather us into the kingdom of heaven. Amen.
Bible notes author: The Revd Martin Earl
This week is Prisons Week. You can read about The Methodist Church's work in prisons here. The Revd Martin Earl is Prison Chaplain & HQ Advisor to the Prison Service. He lives in Plymouth and currently supports chaplaincy teams and prison governors in 13 prisons across the South West.