St Mary's, Appledore, North Devon

Reflection from Brad Scott

Matthew 13:24-48

24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.

32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[a] of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. 35 So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”[b]

36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.

41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.

42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

3 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. (NIV)

Reflection

Matthew 13:24–43 invites us into Jesus’ deep understanding of how God’s kingdom grows, quietly, steadily, and often in ways that defy our expectations. In the parable of the weeds, Jesus acknowledges a truth that feels uncomfortably familiar: good and evil grow side by side in the world, and even within our own hearts. The servants want to pull the weeds immediately, but the master warns that doing so might destroy the wheat. This is a reminder that God’s patience is intentional. He allows time and space for transformation, growth, and repentance, things we often rush or misunderstand. It challenges us to trust God’s timing rather than our own impulse to control outcomes.

The mustard seed and the yeast continue this theme of patient, hidden growth. A mustard seed, nearly invisible in the palm, becomes a sprawling tree. A pinch of yeast works its way through an entire batch of dough. These images honour the small, unseen acts of faithfulness that shape God’s kingdom, quiet prayers, unnoticed kindness, small decisions to forgive, and moments of resisting bitterness. We might underestimate these things, but Jesus tells us they shape the world in ways we cannot fully see.

Together, these parables confront our desire for quick, visible results. They remind us that God is at work even when the field looks messy or when progress seems slow. They encourage us to persevere in goodness, to hold hope in obscurity, and to trust that God will bring about justice and flourishing in the right time. The kingdom is both present and becoming. Our task is to stay faithful as God brings the hidden seeds of His work to fullness.

A couple of questions to ponder on:

1. In what areas of your life are you tempted to “pull the weeds” before the right time?

2. What small acts of faithfulness might God be inviting you to value more deeply?

3. Where do you sense God asking you to trust his timing rather than your own?

Let us Pray:

Lord, thank You for planting Your good seed in our lives. help us trust your wisdom and timing when we see both wheat and weeds growing around us. Give us patience to wait, faith to believe that small acts of love matter, and eyes to notice the quiet ways your kingdom is taking root. grow in us hearts that reflect your grace, and make our lives places where your light can flourish.

In Jesus' name we pray. Amen

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