Look-a-Likes

The liriope was impressively thick but had few flowers because grass runners were part of its bulk. Once my husband cut back the grassy-looking leaves, the challenging, invading runners were more visible to rake and pull out. Unfortunately, they were so intertwined that some of the liriope loosened with the weed's roots. The two workdays were well worth the painful effort. Healthy leaves are popping up, weed-free, leaving room for abundant flowers soon-coming.

Vegetation is powerless against weedy intruders; humans cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ are not helpless and should not let sin reign in their lives (Romans 6). But sin's pesky and sometimes debilitating invaders stealthily find their way into and overrun Christians' lives, leaving them ineffective if they are not watchful and persistent in pulling out the runners that mimic healthy leaves. Uprooting sin can be painful but a decision we must make; God will not do it for us. The process may involve cutting back what seems impressive to find where the weeds are hiding, and weeding can disturb good causes because unimportant matters or sin-filled ways are entangled. Weeds can imitate healthy plants, and sin can mimic that which is good in life. But the proof of weedless, authentic Christ-followers is fruit-filled lives that glorify our heavenly Father: "A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. . . Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them" (Matt 7:18, 20).