Weed Eaters and Bibles

May 1 2011My weed-eater (also known as a string trimmer) is down. Nothing crucial, I amwaiting for the parts to restore it to health. The only bad thing is that spring isnot a good time for a weed-eater not to work. However, I have observed weed-eaters and the truth is they much rather just sit around or hang on a wall than eatweeds. In fact, if left to themselves they’ll never eat a single weed. Talk about notliving up to your name. Actually a weed-eater cuts down weeds really well whenI, or you, put it to work. I am sure weeds are perfectly fine with weed-eatersconfined to garages and sheds, they love being unattended to. For weeds to takeover one has to do absolutely nothing.As if the weeds proliferating in our yards were not enough there are also spiritualweeds. Jesus once told a parable to illustrate the fact that God is trying to geteveryone’s attention so they will live a life that has eternal purpose and will honorhim. For some, Jesus said, weeds are the problem when it comes to responding toGod, "The seed cast in the weeds is the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it,” Matthew 13:22 (MSG).Few things are as effective as the Bible (God’s written word) in dealing withspiritual weeds. But just like a weed-eater hanging in a garage you and I won’tbenefit from our Bibles sitting on the coffee table or being stuck on a shelf.Spiritual weeds will happily keep growing, chocking out all God wants to grow inour lives.In order for a weed-eater to be an effective tool in your hands you have to followsome basic steps:1. Get if the wall.2. Put gas in it (make sure it’s a fuel and oil mixture if it is a two stroke).3. Put cutting string in the trimmer head.4. Start it up (wear ear-plugs and goggles, long pants are advisable as well).5. Go to where the weeds are and go to town (you can have the stringer running butswinging it across the asphalt of your driveway will not only make no differencewhen it comes to the weeds, but it will also make you look really silly).In order for the God’s Word (the Bible) to be an effective tool against spiritualweeds there are some basic steps as well:1. Put it in your hand and open it (the Gospel of Mark is a good place to start).2. Start reading it with an awareness that God is trying to speak to you.3. Don’t read past any place that captures your attention or causes you to ask aquestion. Stop, and ask yourself what God is pointing out to you and how youneed to respond. If you have a question look for, and don’t rest until you find theanswer.4. Look for anything God clearly tells you to do or not to do, as well as any generallife principles and or clear instructions of doing things God’s way.5. Immediately apply to your life anything that God has clearly instructed you todo or cease doing (you can spout Bible all over the church or anywhere else but ifyou don’t put into action what you were told the weeds will continue to grow andyou will look like the guy swinging his weed-eater across the asphalt – silly).To God be all glory, love you, Pastor Hans