Weeds

Growing up, yard work was a form of punishment, with weeding reserved for the worst offenses.

I’ve heard weeding used as an analogy for spiritual formation, but it didn’t resonate with me since I hate weeding.

Last weekend, I spent several hours battling a grove of weeds that sprouted in just two weeks.

I wondered who decided that this resilient plant should be called a weed. Why not embrace it as a tenacious and beautiful plant?! But isn’t that similar to redefining bad behavior as just fine, allowing me to indulge? Or redefining hard-to-reach goals to make them easier to reach?

Determined that these multiplying plants were indeed weeds and needed removal, I attacked, but the sheer number discouraged me. More weeds showed than dirt. Could I eliminate them all?

I moved to a thinner patch and began pulling. As the ground cleared, I continued toward an area of all weeds. Progress. I cleared another large patch and began a flanking maneuver, encircling the troublesome area. After a thorny battle, I declared victory. This experience made me think about how we gradually change our behavior, achieving small wins and building toward new habits.

Shocked by realizing I’d experienced spiritual formation through weeding, I prayed for even deeper insights as I went in the house to bake chocolate chip cookies.