Last year, we planted some marigolds along a walkway in front of our house. They are one of the few flowers we can plant that the deer do not eat. They did so well and lasted long into the fall season.
Earlier this spring as plants and flowers started to protrude from the ground, my husband and I noticed some plants came up in the exact spots where we planted last year's marigolds. It was not unusual at all for some annuals or seeds to survive the winter and come up in the spring. We were excited that, perhaps, we might get some "freebies" and not have to plant any. So we didn't buy any to put in the flowerbed.
We watered them and watched with anticipation as the plants grew taller and taller. They were lush green and thriving so we transplanted some to other areas of the flower bed. This would save a lot of time planting the seeds and waiting for them to come up.
We waited and waited. The plants looked healthy as they kept getting taller but no buds showed. Then next to one of the many we transplanted, we noticed a smaller plant. That one was also growing and thriving but had a couple of little yellow flower buds forming. Quite puzzled, we took a picture of one that did not have buds and searched for it online.
Well, I am so embarrassed to admit this, but it turned out to be ragweed. Ragweed, not marigold! And we transplanted several! Needless to say, we uprooted and tossed them. The only consolation in this is that apparently, there are others out there who have had the same confusion which is why sites like The Spruce or Reddit have had articles and discussions about it.
After we were done laughing at ourselves, I thought to myself, 'How often in life do we confuse the weeds with the real thing? What's the difference?' I'm not talking about actual weeds and plants in flowerbeds. I'm thinking about situations in life.
Sometimes, like with weeds, people can confuse a bad situation with what a real healthy situation should be. Other times, I think some choose "weeds" on purpose since uprooting and replanting takes so much effort and time. The thinking is that green things are growing rather than empty gardens.
Other times though, we make decisions where we think that metaphorically, it's just one or two small "weeds" that won't harm the garden. But what weeds do not multiply, or just die out on their own? None. Instead, they multiply and invade and can take over a garden if not plucked out.
An inflated resume leads to a small fudge on an expense report, leading to an "adjustment" on the sales report or tax return.
Friendly Zoom chat messages with a co-worker of the opposite sex lead to sharing very personal details which leads to an affair.
These are just two examples but you get the point. Once we let the weeds into the garden, they take over.
Know this: The enemy of our souls, Satan, is the father of lies. He is out to steal, kill, and destroy our lives. (John 10:10a) He makes sin look really attractive like the green, lush, thriving ragweeds growing next to the one smaller marigold. He tries to make us believe that we don't have to settle for just the one budding marigold when we can have many growing thriving ragweeds. And if we have allergies to the ragweeds, he will justify that there are remedies for the allergy symptoms.
Friends, "be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8
Contrapositively, Jesus said, "I am the gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:9-10
By the way, here is what our one marigold plant looks like now.
