Wheat and Weeds

Today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 13:24-43) was the parable of the wheat and weeds.  A farmer goes out and sows some wheat, and an enemy goes in and sows weeds amongst the wheat so the seeds end up sprouting at the same time.  Fast forward a few hours and I am out weeding my front yard flower beds, listening to Tim McGraw sing Better Than I Used To Be, which includes this tag line: “I ain’t as good as I’m gonna get, but I’m better than I used to be.”

I go out every weekend and spend time weeding my front yard (the back is rock).  We put weed blocker under the mulch when we planted the beds, but still, every weekend I pull weeds, then come back the next weekend and pull more.  (To my knowledge, I don’t have any enemies that plant them there.)  As I worked and listened, the work, the parable and the song merged in my mind, and served as a reminder that I am, I guess we all are, works in progress — mixtures of wheat and weeds.  I guess what’s important is to realize that and keep separating the wheat from the weeds.  That is Jesus’ point in the parable, and McGraw’s:

I ain’t no angel

I still got a few more dances with the devil

I’m cleanin’ up my act, little by little

I’m getting there

I can finally stand the man in the mirror I see

I ain’t as good as I’m gonna get

But I’m better than I used to be