Planted on Purpose: Lessons from the Parable of the Wheat and Weeds - Matthew 13:24
We all ask it from time to time: Why is there so much struggle in life? Why do we have to live among tension, temptation, and opposition?
This past Sunday, Pastor Chris shared a message that gave me a fresh perspective, one he called “The Parable of the Long Game.” It’s based on Jesus’ parable of the wheat and weeds found in Matthew 13:24-30 and Jesus’ own explanation in verses 36-43.
“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.” - Matthew 13:24–26
In the story, the farmer’s workers asked if they should pull up the weeds immediately. The farmer told them no…if they pulled up the weeds, they’d also uproot the wheat. Instead, they should wait until the harvest. Then the weeds would be separated, bundled, and burned, while the wheat would be gathered into the barn.
When Jesus explained this parable, He made it clear: He is the Farmer, the field is the world, and the good seed are His people. The weeds? They’re the enemy’s planting. And here’s the truth Pastor Chris highlighted that stopped me in my tracks:
Jesus plants His people on purpose. Wherever you are right now, the King put you there on purpose.
I am right here for a reason. You are reading this journal for a reason. Everything is on purpose, for a purpose, and all according the Master’s plan!
Not only does Jesus plant His people on purpose, He even allows the enemy to plant his as part of His sovereign plan. This isn’t an accident. This isn’t a random assignment. It’s intentional placement.
The Farmer’s Instruction: Bear Fruit
Here’s the part that hit me hardest: in the parable, the wheat’s only job was to bear fruit. It wasn’t called to rip out the weeds. It wasn’t tasked with fixing the field. The wheat’s mission was simple: grow and produce fruit.
Pastor Chris reminded us that we do this by being disciples and making disciples. And the fruit of a disciple is Faith, Character, and Good Works…not because works save us, but because salvation naturally produces works.
If you’ve read my previous post, you know I’ve written about this: we’re saved by faith alone, yet that faith overflows into action. Read it here: Faith Alone That Transforms: Reflections on 2 Corinthians 11
John Calvin also emphasizes is his commentary (John Calvin, Commentary on Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43, available at Bible Hub.) that the wheat’s task isn’t to fight the weeds but to remain steadfast in growth. That fits perfectly with Pastor Chris’s point:
Calvin observed that Christ’s people must live among the “reprobate” (unprincipled person, or sinner), and yet not be infected by their wickedness. That’s exactly what Jesus is calling us to in this parable…to be faithful where we’re planted, keeping our eyes on the harvest.
Pastor Chris outlined four simple, powerful ways we can bear fruit every day:
- Read - spend time in God’s Word.
- Talk - engage in Christ-centered conversations with others.
- Pray - both privately and in community.
- Serve - give your time and energy for the sake of others.
Service Before Self - A Shift in Perspective
That last one, “serve,” has been changing me in a big way. As a member of the U.S. Air Force, one of our core values is Service Before Self. For years, I interpreted that as military duty before personal interest..and in many ways, it is. But in my walk with Jesus, I’ve come to see it in a deeper light: serving others before myself in every sphere of life.
This shift hasn’t just made me a better leader in uniform, it’s reshaped how I live as a follower of Jesus Christ. It’s no longer about climbing ladders or checking boxes or doing what I want to do. It’s about looking for ways to put others first, whether in my squadron, my home, my community, or my church.
Struggle Has a Purpose
So, why is there so much struggle? Because the wheat and weeds grow together… for now. We are planted in a field where both exist, and we are called to live out our faith in that reality. Jesus didn’t ask us to uproot the weeds. He asked us to stay rooted, grow strong, and bear fruit until the harvest.
And when the harvest comes, as Jesus promises in Matthew 13:41-43, His angels will separate out those who do evil (the “lawbreakers”) and gather His people to shine in His Kingdom forever.
When I read Matthew 13:41 “the angels will remove those who do evil” I can’t help but think, “Is that me?” I’ve broken God’s law more times than I can count. I’m a sinner. On my own, I’d be bundled up with the weeds and burned.
But then I remember 1 John 1:9:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
That verse is a constant reminder that I’m not standing in this field because I’m perfect…I’m standing because I’m forgiven. That’s the only reason I can bear fruit at all. That’s why I can live with peace even in the tension, knowing the Farmer placed me here for a reason.
This truth is so central to my walk that it inspired one of my favorite designs in the 1NINE Collection, a sweatshirt with the word perfect crossed out and forgiven stitched underneath. It’s a conversation starter, a simple way to remind yourself and others that we don’t have to fake perfection to be loved by God. We just need to stay rooted in Him, bear fruit where He planted us, and trust His grace.
Click to view the 1NINE Forgiven Sweatshirt
This isn’t a new truth. As John Calvin noted in his commentary on this passage (John Calvin Commentary on Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43 – Parable of the Wheat and Weeds, BibleHub), the parable “teaches us that the Lord does not remove the wicked immediately… but allows them to grow until the proper time for separation.” That means the struggle and tension we feel in this world isn’t a sign God has lost control…it’s part of His deliberate, sovereign timing.
Reflection Question:
Where has God planted you right now, and how can you bear fruit in that exact place?
Scripture References for Further Reading:
- Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43 - The Parable of the Wheat and Weeds
- John 15:5 - “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”
- Galatians 5:22–23 - The fruit of the Spirit
- 1 John 1:9 - Forgiveness of sins
References
Matthew 13:24–43 – Parable of the Wheat and Weeds (BibleHub)
John Calvin Commentary on Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43 – Parable of the Wheat and Weeds (BibleHub)