THE INSIDIOUS THING

While on my morning walks I pass by a field where an unusually large dandelion grows. It's really quite spectacular. This dandelion is almost five feet tall and almost as wide! As spectacular as it is, it’s still just a weed!

It was already pretty stately when it first caught my attention, but it won’t be long before those lovely yellow blooms go to seed. And when the wind blows, watch out! Thousands of dandelion seeds will invade my neighbors’ garden—and mine too! Ugh!

The insidious thing about weeds is that they choke out and take over what the gardener intentionally plants. They are the ruin of many carelessly tended gardens. One definition of insidious is, “proceeding in an inconspicuous, seemingly harmless way but actually with grave effect.” That’s scary, right? I don’t want anything like that happening in my “garden.”

It’s the insidious thing. It’s the little thing that seems so meaningless, so harmless. It may be pretty. It may appear to fit in. It may seem like it’s just in fun. It may seem calming. Charming. Sophisticated. You may think it will take care of itself. You might assume it will go away on its own. But that’s the problem. It really isn’t at all what it seems to be.

Little weeds don’t stay little. Little weeds become big weeds. Always! And they multiply! Worst of all, they choke out and kill what has so carefully and intentionally been planted by the gardener. Eventually the garden begins to look like a weed patch—and no one has ever intentionally planted a weed patch!

As Christians, we have a Divine Gardener on duty 24/7, ready to give us a “free report” daily. But are we listening?

“Good morning, my beloved! Hey, I’ve spotted a few small weeds in your garden that can easily be plucked out. Let’s take care of that together, right now, shall we? If we do it now, they will come out quickly—no need for a shovel. But if we delay, the whole garden will need to be tilled. You don’t want to go through that tough messy job . . . right? So, what do you say, shall we get to work?”

We know it’s true! If we don’t listen and get to work now, it’s going to get a lot worse—and hurt a whole lot more! So do yourself a favor:

Hear His voice...

Hear His heart...

Heed His warning...

“Today, if you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15).