Read: Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43

The slaves said to Him, “Then do you want us to go and gather them?” But He replied, “No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them.” Matthew 13:28b–29

Many of us cannot tell the difference between weeds and good plantings. When weeding, we might be able to guess correctly most of the time, but an untrained eye or an unknowledgeable gardener threatens the whole garden. An unweeded garden may not be an ideal situation for good plants to thrive, but pulling up the good with the bad is even less preferable. Jesus’ admonition is clear: if you can’t tell the difference between the weeds and the wheat, stay out of the field. Leave the judgment of the garden to the one who planted it in the first place, which it to say: leave the judgment of the world to God.

Who do you have no right, nor the appropriate knowledge, to judge?

Lord, if I try to separate the weeds and the wheat, I know I will make a mess of the field. I will do more damage than good. Help me to leave the judgment of the world to You, while I spend time trying to sort through the weeds and the wheat in my own life. In Your name, I pray. AMEN.