Asleep

"Here is another story Jesus told: 'The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night while men slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat." Matthew 13:24-25
 
As the fog of my little nap began to lift, I looked around the classroom in great confusion. I dialed into the fact that I was at school, but the faces were unfamiliar. The giggling gave away the nuts and bolts of the situation ... During my little siesta, there was a passing period that left me in the wrong class at the wrong time.

In this parable, Jesus spoke about some sleepers too. In his explanation later on in the chapter, he doesn't identify just exactly who they are. His only comment was that while they were asleep, the enemy had opportunity to wreak havoc.

I don't believe Jesus was inferring that we ought to live in a perpetual state of insomnia. I do, however, believe it's quite consistent with other Biblical teaching that the failure to remain spiritually vigilant has given our enemy, the devil, room to work. Have we dropped our guards? Have we made room for "weeds" in our souls? Our marriages? Our families? Our churches? Our community? When it comes to the advancement of the Kingdom of God, there is no room for passivity.

Grace and Peace,
 
Tom Wiles
tom@fallcreekchristian.org

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