The Word and Weed & Feed

It is probably rather peculiar on Mother’s Day to write of Milkweeds instead of Moms. I figured there will be such a plethora of well-deserved posts on mothers that I would leave mothers to those more poetically inclined. Since moving into a plat, lawncare has become something completely new to me—and competitive. Our new home has a yard neglected for some time. Our adjacent neighbors’ and most lawns in our plat are immaculate carpets of weed-free green. In contrast our lawn looks like a worn, patched, and dirty swatch of work clothes. You get the idea from talking to owners of the perfect, carpet-like lawns that having dandelions on your yard is like having measles on your face. It isn’t just that your face looks bad, but people are afraid they will catch what you have. The lawn-manicuring neighbors are justifiably panicked over the real possibility that the seed of your dandelions will infect their lawn. Such disease spreads quickly. I feel the pressure. Not wanting to spend on professional lawn care, I am determined to transform our lawn via do-it-yourself means. I have discovered Weed & Feed. Naysayers and environmentalists notwithstanding, it seems to me a wonderful idea. In one bag are a mixture of components some which kill weeds—watch out dandelions—and some which feed grass. How clever. I emptied the bag into my new broadcaster and began pelting my lawn with the sleet of Weed & Feed. Days later, I began to see some effect. The weeds, namely those invasive and feared dandelions, were beginning to curl and shrivel. The grass seemed greener and taller. I began to muse how those two drastic, polar results had come from the same bag, the same broadcaster, and the same application. Unsummoned thoughts began to compel me to see what I had done to my lawn with Weed & Feed, is what I do when preaching the Word to a congregation. I fill the broadcaster of my heart and sermon notes with the Word of God. As it takes time to cover the yard, preaching, I take the time to cover the ground of needs that the material of the message addresses. Back and forth. Up and down. Going over the areas missed or in need of more coverage. Here is the amazing thing. Same bag (the Word). Same broadcaster (the message, messenger). Same application (the service, time, place). Yet, the results are often drastically different. Unlike my lawn, the congregations to which I minister consists of far fewer “weeds.” Over and over I have watched the response to the same message. One responds with a flourish of open, grateful hunger. Another shudders and sours. One looks stronger afterwards. Another looks hardened. One is vibrant and full. Another is shriveled and dry. One leaves with new life. Another leaves with the onset of spiritual death. Each was exposed to the same Word. The difference was in the nature of the hearer who responded to it. Simply put, Weed & Feed kills weeds but feeds grass. Jesus said His Word would either give life or condemn. Over and over as He spoke, some sprung to life and some shriveled in anger, refusal, and hardness of heart. Interesting, not just a congregation but each’s heart, including my own, can have its share of dandelions among the grass. Thankfully, His Word weeds not only a congregation but each heart. His word will bring growth to the things in my heart that are good and death to the things in my heart that are bad. I don’t know how my lawn will turn out, but I sure desire my heart to be a carpet of green and growth; thus, I will welcome and keep applying the Weed & Feed of the Word.

The Word and Weed & Feed

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