We call South Texas home and for many years we owned a house near La Vernia. Our suburban home was located on 1.79 rough acres. The weather in that area is hot and dry and trying to make a nice yard presented several challenges. Our yard had cactus, briers, gopher mounds and an occasional snake showed up. I tackled the rough yard with a huge riding lawn mower and sought advice from local folks who had lived there longer than I had.
One of the toughest problems was grass burrs. Though not immediately visible, because they blend in with other weeds and grass, you always knew they were present. They stick on your shoes, grab at your pants, and eventually end up in the house, tangled up in the carpet. Removing them is a painful struggle to grab them without getting a sticker in your finger. They seemed to be everywhere, and I heard you had to regularly pull the plants out of the ground. I saw that as a losing battle. I tried weed killer, fertilizer and even disked up part of my yard, like a garden, trying to rid myself of that resilient problem. Even floods and drought didn’t kill them.
We attend a Full Gospel Church, and our Pastor said a wise old farmer told him how to get rid of the pesky burrs. I listened intently, having failed in my own attempts. The farmer told him “Don’t try to get rid of the burrs, plant grass.” He said the strong and healthy grass would eventually overcome the burrs. Our Pastor wasn’t really trying to teach us how to rid ourselves of grass burrs, but how to overcome sin.
We see well-meaning saints fighting losing battles against every sin that comes along. They are quick to tell people what they are doing wrong, citing chapter and verse. Righteous anger rises and they get embroiled in “battling the devil.” Unfortunately, the devil is often their friends and neighbors. Almost as devastating is the audience who watches this unholy war. These conflicts are often played out in the media or on the internet, multiplying the damage. Aggressively defending righteousness and giving sinners what they deserve might seem like the right thing to do, but it doesn’t change hearts and lives.
Trying another tactic, maybe we need to plant some grass? Yes, sin is a serious problem, but we need to fight against sin, not our friends and neighbors. The “grass” we need to plant is the love of JESUS. Showing that love and what it has done for us makes us witnesses, much like in a court case. We want to convince sinners there is a better way. We can also show GOD’s love by blessing people. In these troubled times, there are many opportunities to help someone out. Perhaps instead of trying to give people what they deserve, we can spread some “unmerited favor” to others, like JESUS gave us? Even “turning the other cheek” and taking undeserved blows could be a greater victory than winning the battle. GOD planted grass when He “gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16 KJV) and we are commanded to do the same! So, let’s plant some grass!
Wayne Lance – That’s Good News to Share!