Over and over, in so many ways, Jesus spoke of inclusiveness, acceptance, resisting judgment, allowing God to discern the good. And over and over, his disciples failed to heed the teaching, reacted to persecutions with defensiveness, and ended up creating a new religion rather than transforming the world through their faith.

The parable of Weeds in the Wheat found only in Matthew (Matthew 13:24-30) told those who understood farming practices in the ancient Middle East to relax when they discovered tares growing among the food crop. Even though tares initially look similar to wheat they grow up to carry dark seeds that are poison to eat. To see which is which when they are small is difficult. Better to wait and see the fruits of the stalk. Let the harvester decide and divide the crop.

Of course, Matthew has a long allegorical explanation for the story (Matthew 13:36-43). But it divides people into absolutes (good or evil) and sees the fire as only the fires of hell.

But Jesus’ parables weren’t told as allegories. They were originally simple stories that farmers would understand. Don’t try to over manage your fields. Don’t try to be so pure you destroy some good in the process.

When we allow ourselves as individuals and as communities, to just grow as we are — weeds and wheat together — we will discover over time that what we thought were great strengths turned out to be weaknesses. Some of our wheat was weeds. And character traits we thought of as flaws or individuals in our midst we judged as weeds turn out to be sources of wisdom, nourishment, strength – wheat, not weeds.

Our job is not to judge others or ourselves too harshly. As we nurture growth we will discover our gifts even as we learn what our weeds might be. Over time we will discern more clearly. But still, don’t judge. Let God be the harvester.

And let the fires we experience within our lives be refining fires that strengthen our metal and clear away the dross from our lives. Don’t try to be the fire for someone else. You’ll get it wrong every time.

It’s like trying to take the speck out of someone else’s eye when you have a log in your own. Trust the sorting to God.

Churches that try to be too pure really miss the point. We’re called to love, unconditionally, ourselves and others. It isn’t easy. And if God hadn’t loved us first and blessed us from the beginning, it might be impossible.

So relax in the fields of your life. Cultivate your weaknesses as well as your strengths. Eventually you may actually realize which is which. But even then, let God do the pruning. Let God be in charge of the harvest. Just water the ground. Stand tall in the sunshine. Relax. Grow strong — your wheat and your weeds together. Be whole. Allow us all to grow together in wholeness. It’s the holy thing to do!