Have you ever noticed that weeds don’t need any assistance to grow, flourish, and take over any given space? Meanwhile, the plants we want require care and attention. As I prepare to go out and tackle the weeds today, I reflect on how many parables Jesus told relating to weeds, good soil, and harvest. Weeds need no special care; in fact, they thrive best when left alone! Cultivating a harvest, on the other hand, involves work!

Our Christian life is the same. Growth occurs with intention and diligence. Simply “going to church” is not enough to keep the weeds out. Neither is keeping busy with “good activities for the church.” In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis explores the world and logic of demons. Through Screwtape’s advice to his nephew, Wormwood, Lewis shows how distraction can draw the “patient” away from what matters. When we fill our days with activity and noise—even good things—but neglect to spend time in prayer and Bible study, we are letting the weeds grow. When we fill our days with appointments, chores, and work without being still, the weeds spread.

When God gave the Israelites the Law, He said, “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:7). This indicates an ongoing conversation! When we get to the prophets, generations later, we see what happens when God’s people repeatedly fail to listen to His Word. Israel let the weeds take over the garden. A faithful remnant remained, but much of the nation had allowed idolatry and sin to choke out obedience to God. In other words, the people of Israel refused to listen to the Word of God, preferring the noise of idolatry and sinful living.

It’s much easier to say, “I don’t believe that way anymore,” than it is to admit wrongdoing. Ezekiel was specifically told that the people of Israel would not listen to him because they were unwilling to listen to God (Ezekiel 3:7). Throughout the prophets, we repeatedly see God’s warnings alongside His promises of what would come for those who returned to Him and those who refused.

Which soil are you? What are you cultivating?