Remember Jim, the stalk who spoke up last time? You know, the one who said he
would never do any thing that the farmer told him not to? Well, I think you
should know a little something about Jim.
He had set his mind and heart to only listen to, and obey the farmer. Jim was
not about to even open an ear to a "tare," and that was all there was to it. Now
Jim had one little tare living next to him. He ignored him as much as he could.
Never spoke to him, or even gave him the time of day. As the days went on, Jim
noticed however, that this little "tare" seemed different from the others. He
was leaning toward Jim, and trying hard to copy everything Jim did. Although Jim
never spoke to him, he still would say good morning, and little nice words like
that through out the day. Days turned into more days, and Jim began to see this
"tare" in a different light.
Hummmm thought Jim. This tare is nothing like the others. He is not loud or
boastful. He never tried to tell me what to do. He is quiet and seems to like
being around all the wheat a lot. Maybe the farmer was wrong about the "tares?"
Or, at least, this one. Jim decided to give the tare a chance. One day he said
hi. The tare was so excited. "Why, hello!" Said the tare. "I never thought you
would talk to me? Are you not afraid of what the others will think or what the
farmer may say?" The tare asked.
"Well," said Jim "We are supposed to love our enemies, so.... I guess that would
include you too. Wouldn't it?"
"Well... thank you!" Said the tare. They became friends on that day!
Each day, Jim would tell the tare all about what he had learned from the farmer.
The tare would listen, and seemed to be learning a lot. Jim was very pleased. A
few of the other wheat stalks warned Jim he was being deceived by the tare, but
Jim just thought they were being a bit "judgmental".
One day the tare turned to Jim and said. "Boy, I wish the others were as nice to
me as you. They really seem to close off to everyone who is different. But then,
I see them doing it to other Wheat stalks who are smaller also!"
Jim looked at the tare." You do?" He asked.
"Oh yes!" Said the tare. "I have seen it often. I also notice they will not
accept any wheat that has even one independent thought. They tell them not to
speak such things and turn on them. I find that very sad."
"Well." Said Jim, "I never really saw that myself...hum, but you are my friend,
and would not lie about something that important would you?"
"No I would not," said the tare. "I have showed myself to be true blue, have I
not?"
This set Jim to thinking about the other wheat stalks in the field. The more he
thought about it, the more he began to look for things. He never really "saw"
anything, but "thought" he did. It was enough to get him angry and split away
from the other stalks. He then started telling those close to him how "wrong"
the other wheat were. Those who heard Jim, thought also about it, and began to
side with Jim and the tare. Before long, the field looked very strange. The
wheat field began growing in separated rows, and grew strangely UN-even.
As the farmer was walking the field, he noticed this division in the field. He
stopped and asked the wheat why they had separated that way. One brave stalk
told him what the tare had said, and about Jim and what he said. The farmer
listened quietly, but his eyes began to fill with tears. Jim noticed this, and
asked him. "Why are you crying farmer?"
The farmer told him. "I planted you with great love. I meant you to grow strong
and straight, full and UN-divided. I planted you to become a part of the whole
loaf in the end. I had hoped that the tares that had been planted by the enemy
would not damage you. I did not want to try to uproot them yet, for to do that
would have meant great harm to my wheat. There were too many small sprouts that
had to grow, and only the nourishment from the larger ones would have been able
to supply that. Had I tore out the tares, many of the young would also have been
pulled up with them. For they were not as firmly rooted. My hope was that the
older ones would teach the younger ones about the tares. I did not want the
tares putting division within the minds of the wheat, but I knew I had to trust
they had learned enough about my love to with stand the tares attacks."
When Jim heard this, he put his head down. He suddenly realized he had been
listening to a lie. He thought the tare was harmless, but in fact, the tare had
been poisoning his mind toward the other wheat, and the farmer. Jim looked up to
the farmer and said. "I have been foolish indeed. I believed a very subtle lie,
over the obvious truth you had set before us. Can you forgive me farmer?"
Without even a blink, the farmer was there at Jim's side saying, "Of course...I
love you Jim. You made a mistake, but I forgive you. Now, let's together, try to
put this field in order, OK?"
Jim was delighted, and immediately began to tell the others the truth. Slowly,
the field began again, to grow together the way the farmer had meant them to do.
Jim rebuked the tare, and tried hard to never listened to him again. Jim knew
the truth now, and was going to walk in the sunlight from now on. The dark
thoughts of the tares would not ever separate him from the farmer again! Now
when he heard something he did not under stand, he would wait and ask the
farmer. He knew the farmer would tell the truth.
© Robyn Cavalera
robyajesusfreak@bellsouth.net
Please contact Robyn Cavalera if you are planning to use her writings. Thanks.
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