I have spent more time than usual tending our flower bed this year. I have fertilized, watered and weeded more than ever before. The results have been quite positive. Our flowers are very healthy—big and bright and colorful.

Much to my surprise, a couple of days ago I found a huge weed growing right next to a flower. With all the frequent times I have gone through the flower bed eliminating weeds, I was shocked that this one had escaped my attention long enough to grow so big!

In the parable of the weeds (Matthew 13:24-30) Jesus says that good seeds are sown in the kingdom. This represents Christian people. But the enemy (Satan) sows weeds that grow up with the good plants. This represents non-believers. Just as it is sometimes hard to distinguish a weed among the flowers, some sinners seem to blend in with everyone else. They don’t stand out so much, yet they are very different in the eyes of God.

In the parable, Jesus says that the weeds and the good plants will grow together until the harvest. Then they will be separated—one group collected but the other group destroyed.

Don’t for a moment think that any unrepentant sinners will slip into heaven unnoticed. God will recognize them for who they are and they will be dealt with accordingly. Just as I pulled up that weed and tossed it away, God will remove those who refuse to turn to him for the salvation that he has graciously provided us through Jesus.