Weeds in the Cracks

The military post where I work features outdoor spaces that are exceptionally tidy. The trees and bushes are neatly trimmed, the grass is frequently mowed, and plants aren’t allowed to take over where they don’t belong. That’s why it surprised me, during a recent walk with my wife, to see weeds sprouting up along curbs and sidewalks.

Seeing this uncommon inconsistency was more than I could stand, so I started pulling weeds out of cracks and crevices wherever I found themβ€”in parking lots, along sidewalks, and next to the street. As I walked and worked, two truths came to mind:

  • All a weed needs to grow is a crack.
  • They’re easier to pull when small.

The condition of your heart will vary, depending on how you cultivate it.

Henry Blackaby


Prickly Lettuce, anyone?

Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

1Cor 7:1 (NIV)

*We know from scripture that the Apostle Paul paid close attention to his spiritual fitness. He didn’t let the weeds stay in the cracks, and when they popped up, he pulled them quickly.

Kind reader, may you and I do the same.

Thank you for reading. πŸ™β€οΈprayers and love.


*1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV); 2 Timothy 2:20-21 (NIV)

Comments

44 responses to “Weeds in the Cracks”

  1. BG Avatar

    Yes you are!

    Liked by 1 person

  2. davidsdailydose Avatar

    And thank you, BG. I don’t get called pastor much anymore, but that’s what I am! I appreciate your kind words, brother! God Bless.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. BG Avatar

    This is Excellent application for living the victorious life! Thanks Pastor Dave!

    Liked by 1 person

  4. jesusluvsall Avatar

    Thank you πŸ™

    Liked by 1 person

  5. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Indeed, we do. Jesus empathizes with our
    problems, as well. You make a great case for this in your book, β€œJesus Understands Trauma.”

    Liked by 1 person

  6. jesusluvsall Avatar

    Weeds spring up seemingly anywhere just as the problems of life can, but we have a Savior who has overcome those problems

    Liked by 1 person

  7. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Thank you, Priscilla. God Bless.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Priscilla Bettis Avatar

    Wonderful metaphor, David!

    Liked by 1 person

  9. davidsdailydose Avatar

    You’re welcome, Peggy. Thank you for reading and commenting. God Bless.

    Liked by 1 person

  10. peggywritesblog Avatar

    Lovely story and reminder to pull our β€œspiritual weeds” before they take root! Thanks for sharing, David!

    Liked by 1 person

  11. davidsdailydose Avatar

    You bring up a great point, Manette Kay. The Holy Spirit helps us know the weeds from the flowers. Some of what the world says are flowers are not.

    Liked by 2 people

  12. musingsofmanettekay Avatar

    Hmmm, “All a weed needs to grow is a crack.” An important reminder to regularly check the condition of my spiritual armor for any cracks and do a daily walk with the Master Gardner for discernment between weed and flower. Pulling anything He says is a weed. Thanks David for the great post!

    Liked by 1 person

  13. davidsdailydose Avatar

    You’re welcome! Weeds look harmless enoughβ€”when small, but can get out if control and hard to pull in a hurry.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Beth Alisan Avatar

    Pretty much the same in our neck of the woods

    Liked by 1 person

  15. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Thanks, Crystal! I’m pulling some myself. God Bless!

    Liked by 1 person

  16. Crystal Byers Avatar

    More great metaphors as I pull weeds of my own!

    Liked by 1 person

  17. God Still Speaks Avatar

    They go nuts over them! I put them down in little piles and they come swarming in and gobble them up!

    Liked by 1 person

  18. davidsdailydose Avatar

    πŸ€—πŸ€—πŸ€—

    Like

  19. davidsdailydose Avatar

    You’re welcome, Bridget. Thank you for reading and commenting. God Bless!

    Liked by 1 person

  20. davidsdailydose Avatar

    You’re welcome, Grandma. Thank you for reading and commenting.

    Like

  21. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Thank you, brother. God bless you too!

    Liked by 1 person

  22. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Thank you, Beth. Around here, weeds keep growing when it’s blazing hot with no rain.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. davidsdailydose Avatar

    True. It’s all too easy for rogue weeds and saplings to take root where we’ve let down our guard. Spiritual fitness is not something we should leave to chance. Thank you for stopping by. God Bless.

    Liked by 1 person

  24. davidsdailydose Avatar

    I love your reference to the armor of God. It’s like weed killer, or maybe weed prevention! Thanks for sharing. God Bless.

    Like

  25. davidsdailydose Avatar

    I didn’t realize chickens liked greens. πŸ₯¬

    Liked by 1 person

  26. davidsdailydose Avatar

    It’s the same down south, Gary. We don’t have a vegetable garden, but keeping the elm and pecan trees out of our honey suckle is a full time job.

    Liked by 1 person

  27. davidsdailydose Avatar

    I call it β€œweed busting,” Deb, and it’s a most satisfying pursuit. I just need to get better at it on the spiritual spectrum. Thank you for sharing. God’s best to you, Todd, and family.

    Like

  28. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Thank you, Tina. It really bothers me to see weeds grow where they don’t belong. So, I pull, and dispose of them, with great fanfare. My goal is to do the same with the spiritual weeds in my life. It’s a work in progress. πŸ™ God Bless!

    Like

  29. Tina Avatar

    Your post made me smile, David. Thank you for sharing this at the end, and the verses to back the statement:

    *We know from scripture that the Apostle Paul paid close attention to his spiritual fitness. He didn’t let the weeds stay in the cracks, and when they popped up, he pulled them quickly.

    I will check 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV) and 2 Timothy 2:20-21 (NIV) out and further meditate on the message.

    Have a blessed Sunday.

    Liked by 1 person

  30. deborah wenzler farris Avatar

    I’ll never pull out another weed the same way again! ❀️

    Liked by 1 person

  31. Gary Fultz Avatar

    Weeds are a daily task here to keep the garden ahead of them. a good illustration David

    Liked by 1 person

  32. God Still Speaks Avatar

    So very true. I just did that this morning, pulled all the little weeds and gave them to the chickens to eat. They love fresh, tender greens!

    Liked by 1 person

  33. davidsdailydose Avatar

    Yes! Unguarded strength is double weakness, as someone wise once said.

    Liked by 1 person

  34. davidsdailydose Avatar

    How true, Pastor Pete. What the world calls a flower God may call a weed, and vice versa. Help from the Holy Spirit is needed to know the difference.

    Like

  35. pastorpete51 Avatar

    In gardening I have learned that “One man’s weed is another man’s flower.” (I was amazed to see my Nepali friends delightedly harvesting nettles for making soup!) But in our walk with Jesus, only He gets to decide which can stay and which must go!

    Liked by 2 people

  36. Petrina Avatar
    Petrina

    Amen!

    Very important, timely message, David.

    It’s important to stay prayed up with whole armor of God and walking in the Spirit, because those cracks can pop up frequently and allow weeds which can take over if allowed.πŸ™πŸΎ

    I really dislike the sight of weeds coming through the cracks and sidewalks, by the way. πŸ˜†

    Liked by 2 people

  37. Don't Lose Hope Avatar

    The way weeds spout up so quickly in the most unexpected places truly is a lesson on how quickly and easily ungodly thoughts and attitudes rise up in our lives. Those weeds you describe are easy to pull out. So, too are the thoughts and attitudes if we don’t allow them to put down deep roots – but it requires vigilance and effort.

    Liked by 1 person

  38. Beth Alisan Avatar

    An excellent visual for 1 Corinthians 7:1, David, plus valuable truths. It always amazes me how fast weeds grow given time of neglect on our part.

    Liked by 1 person

  39. Alan Kearns Avatar

    Very true David, we best pull these wee weeds before they grow into something more menacing. God bless you and your family today brother πŸ™ πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡ΈπŸ΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ

    Liked by 1 person

  40. Grandma's Ramblings Avatar

    Thanks for this good reminder.

    Liked by 1 person

  41. Bridget Avatar

    Such a great analogy. And a good reminder. Thank you, David.

    Liked by 1 person

  42. Pure Glory Avatar

    Thank you, for this reminder of the need to tend to weeds in our soul before they take over our hearts.

    Liked by 1 person

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