My word speaks of wheat and tares. You could think of tares as weeds sown by the enemy. Do you have any weeds in your own life? The story says to let them grow together and separate them at the harvest time. Weeds come in many types. Do you find it easier to identify the weeds in your brother than in yourself, or in the church down the street than your own? Do you think that these obvious weeds need to be pulled out immediately? The master gardener has not appointed you to this task. I will deal with your weeds in a timely manner and you can trust me to do the same for your neighbors.

Have you read the Bible? Did you get everything available from it on the first reading? You can read it again and get still more out of it. Eternal truth is accessible on multiple levels. Do you value the insights of others, for the things that the scriptures speak to them, or do you use this as a basis for an argument about which one of you is really right? It is possible that you are both right, seeing different facets of the same gemstone. It is also possible that you are both wrong, if you just want to fight about it. I would have you to be receptive to the truth that I reveal to your brother.

Military officers have rank and soldiers know they must obey their orders on that basis. Corporate managers sign paychecks, and workers respect their authority if they want to get paid. Where is the authority of my church and in my church? Pastors have authority in churches but not outside, and churches operate by voluntary association. Spiritual authority doesn’t come by offices, titles, or credentials. I held no office and had no credentials. As far as titles I insisted on calling myself the ‘Son of Man’, which is not imposing by worldly standards. When challenged on my authority I sidestepped the question. Yet I have authorized you to exercise the same authority I did. For those who understand this it trumps all other power.

Have you ever gone on vacation and returned to tell your friends, ‘it was a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there’? Perhaps you have heard this statement from others. Has it occurred to you that I could feel the same way? There are people who take confidence in the fact that I bless their efforts, and that I visit them, but I will bless and visit things I will not inhabit. I am not satisfied with occasional visits with you. Are you satisfied with just visits from me? There is a higher standard involved in structuring your life to provide an enduring habitation for me, but this is what I am looking for.