If I remember right, in 2017 we had a hot and dry spell that lasted long enough that a portion of the grass in my front yard went dormant. So dormant in fact that when the rains came and the temperatures cooled in the fall, there was a significant dead spot in my lawn.
Seeing that the lawn was dead and that it wouldn’t be growing back, that fall I lightly tilled it up and sowed some new seed. I began to water the area and faithfully continued to water that area until winter set in with no signs of new growth.
So in the spring of 2018, I lightly tilled up the area again and sowed some more new grass. Although I barely needed to water the area because of all the rain we had during May of last year, I continued to water the area during the month of June—but still no new grass grew. Later in the summer I had a friend who has an over-seeder come and he sowed some more new grass into the sun-scorched and barren area of my lawn. Again I faithfully watered the area, however, after sowing nearly enough grass to cover a football field—STILL NOTHING!! (So much for Scott’s Turf Builder Quick Mix Fix Grass Seed)
After months of sleepless nights trying to discern if I have a soil problem or a seed problem, I planned on trying to re-seed again this spring. However with all the rain, I have been unable to do anything with the area. Now here’s a most disturbing discovery over the past few weeks, apparently while I wasn’t paying attention, someone snuck in and sowed a nice fresh crop of clover. Like, how does that work? I spend all that energy trying to grow good seed, but then an enemy of mine comes in and sows some clover and it pops right up.
Kind of reminds me of when Jesus told the parable of the weeds in Matthew 13, 24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. 27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’
28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.”
Now if you’re like the disciples and me, you would like an explanation of what the parable means. And like for the disciples, Jesus is also pleased to clarify for us. 37 Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil.
After spending a week in Washington DC in May, it’s become clear to me that the battle between the good seed that Jesus is sowing and the bad seeds the devil is sowing is intensifying. The devil has clearly intensified his weed sowing efforts in our state and in our country in hopes of choking out the good seed.
Life in such a kingdom, until Jesus comes again, has the potential to be much more difficult so it’s vitally important for us to continue to stand strong and to bear the fruit of the Spirit.
And unlike that pesky clover that is corrupting my lawn, may it not be so with you and me that when the harvester comes that he would find us corrupting his kingdom.
Shining like the sun in the Kingdom of the Father, Mike Altena