I was recently fortunate enough to go to the Chelsea Flower Show with some friends. We got to the gates for opening time, 8am, but even then there were many crowds all eager to get a look at the show gardens. What surprised me was how small, even the “large”, gardens were. The site was divided up into “large” and “smaller” show gardens, gardens with limited space eg balconies, indoor gardens, as well as many stands for garden related companies. (I’m not quite sure where the pearls and jewellery stand fitted in – perhaps the clientele who can afford the various garden accessories on sale!?)
As we wandered from garden to garden I was heartened to see that cow parsley and other wildflowers featured in several gardens, sitting proudly next to magnificent peonies. All is not lost – the weeds in my garden can stay!!
Jesus spoke of the parable of the weeds in Matthew 13. The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who sowed good seed, but during the night the enemy came and sowed weeds amongst the wheat. As the wheat sprouted so did the weeds. Distraught the farm workers asked the farmer asked should we go out and pick all the weeds? No replied the farmer, because in doing so you will also pick some of the wheat as well. Let them both grow together, and when the harvest comes, the weeds can be separated and burnt and the good wheat harvested.
The cow parsley in my garden looks beautiful amongst the long grass, but in the autumn both need cutting back in order to get healthy grass the following spring.
In this world we grow alongside all sorts of influences, we cannot ignore them, and it is not for us to judge them. It is God who is the ultimate judge.
I will enjoy the wildflowers that grow, but there will come a time when they need cutting back.
Prayer: Sovereign Lord, we thank you for the beauty of your creation, for magnificent blooms that need care and attention, and for wildflowers that grow in our hedgerows and gardens. Help us to be witnesses of your love to those we meet in the world so that come the day we will not be cut down and discarded but will bear fruit for you. Amen