Wheat-N'-Weeds

In the thirteenth chapter of Matthew, Christ tells the story of the "Wheat and the Tares." He says that during the night after the farmer had planted the good seed (wheat), an enemy went into the field and sowed tares. As the seeds began to sprout the workers noticed that something wasn't right. They reported to the farmer and volunteered to pull up the tares. He said, "No; don't do that because you might also pull up some of the wheat." [paraphrased].
The farmer thought it better to let them grow together until the harvest; that is when the separating would be done.
Later in the chapter Christ explains [vs.36] the parable to the disciples because they didn't get it: "The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age."[vs. 38,39].
Everybody knows about wheat and how it is used to illustrate one point in the story [parable]. But the bit about the tares is interesting: I looked up the Greek word used for "tares" and here is what I found; "Zizanion" is a kind of darnel that resembles wheat except that the seeds are black. Interesting!
Christ said the field is the "world" but I have to ask, could it also refer to the church? The lesson would be the same, don't you think? We ought not to try to pull up or root out anyone(s) in the church just because we think they might not be the "right kind of persons".
Not by gossip, not by criticism, not by innuendo, not by ignoring them, not by shunning them, not by any means or method. Because we do not know the heart of man as does the Lord. Here is what we are to do: "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples; if you have love one for another." [John 13:35].
...by the way, "darnel" is a cockle and..."...a weedy annual grass (Lolium temulentum) with very long awns on the glumes and seeds sometimes considered poisonous that often occurs in grainfields and other cultivated land -- called also cheat." [Courtesy of Mr. Webster].
Think about this today. Pray and plan to be wheat instead of cheat.
God bless. e.c.