All through Scripture, writers use analogies to explain truth and the writer of Hebrews was no different. The twelfth chapter of this New Testament book begins with a race that describes the spiritual life of the believer. Before the chapter is over, a garden is used to make a point regarding a believer causing problems in the family of God. The message may be directed toward Christians of the Jewish faith, but the application is valid for all believers, especially in our day.

What do you think it means to "miss" the grace of God? If you're not certain exactly what it is, don't be led astray to think it involves losing your salvation. We know that because before the chapter is over, we read, "we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken." This implies salvation is an ongoing journey that has its ups and downs, but never slips away. It's as long-lasting and enduring as Jesus Christ himself, the One who saves and never quits in the face of difficulty.

So, imagine with me a garden where the ground has been prepared to grow new vegetation. We can watch plants grow under the sun with rain and an amazing thing will happen. Like clockwork, the ground around the plant where nothing was planted now has weeds coming up around it. And if allowed to remain, the weeds will choke the life out of the plants.

So it is with those who are saved in the family of God. If weeds are too close allowed to remain in a garden, healthy plants will be infected and possibly even die as the weeds take the needed sustenance from the soil. In the family of God, there are Christians who foster growth in other believers and those who detract from the message and hinder growth. So all of us must address the question, "Are we vital growing plants in God's garden or a weed that infects other plants negatively?

The message is plain but sadly those who need to hear it are probably not listening. You see, weeds are not concerned about spiritual maturity or pleasing God. They exist only to serve themselves while looking normal, they try to avoid attention by even looking like healthy plants. But these weeds don't require a gardener to plant them and they can't be pruned back and controlled when they're exposed to light and water. The only way to grow a healthy garden is to find and remove the weeds.

1. Pray Through the Word - 365 devotionals on the subject of prayer by James R. Green (Num 13; Ps 79; Heb 12:14-28)
2. Scripture comes from the Holy Bible, New International Version; (c)1978 by New York International Bible Society

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