Today was a day to catch up on a few yard projects.
We had a mature rose bush that had died that needed to be removed, and Raye Jeanne planned to transplant a crape myrtle sprout that had grown up elsewhere in the yard in its place. But to plant the fledgling tree in that spot, we also needed to remove a large amount of monkey grass that we had been using as ground cover.
So putting my back to good use, I squatted down and began attacking the monkey grass. Being a person of limited gardening knowledge, I was unaware of the structure of monkey grass. Oh, I knew that it grew relatively tall and quickly, and seemed to spread throughout the garden with some speed, but I didn’t know why. A few minutes into my venture and I discovered the insidious secret of the monkey grass.
Unlike the grass in our yard, monkey grass grows in small clumps, with as few as 6-8 tall blades to each clump. Yet just under the surface of the dirt, these small clumps have an extensive root system. And that root system not only feeds that one clump, but it also sends out multiple runners underground, up to ten-inches in length. These runners would then produce their own sprouts and another clump of monkey grass would develop, producing its own extensive root system and its own runners.
Fortunately, the ground was soft from a large rain a couple days earlier, so the monkey grass and its roots pulled up quite easily. Yet I was interested to find that often when I would pull one clump and its runners, I would watch a clump or blade of grass a few inches away recede into the ground and then reappear at the end of the clump I was pulling out. On other occasions, as I surveyed an area I had nearly completed, I would spy a single missed blade. I would begin to pull it, find some resistance, and then wiggle my finger into the dirt so I could extract the root. Thereupon, I found a root system that was sufficient for several clumps of grass, along with one or more stringers — all supporting this single blade.
On other occasions, as I smoothed out areas where all the monkey grass had been removed, I saw small remainders of roots, and as I lifted them out, I felt resistance and again discovered after digging with my fingers more extensive root systems (which to this novice gardener means that this may not be the last time I’ll be pulling monkey grass from this area of the garden!).
And during the entire two hours I was pulling these weeds this ground cover I was thinking that the monkey grass is a parable of indwelling sin. Like the monkey grass, the reality of sin is far more extensive than the evidence of sin. What is underneath, in the hidden recesses of the soul is far greater than the occasional glimpses of sin. I may think I have only one singular sin to confess and extract from my life, but the root of that sin and the ungodly desires that feed that sin are often varied and multiple, and it takes more effort to remove those sins than the task of tearing off a single blade at the surface of the ground.
Furthermore, there is an interconnectedness of sin in our lives. Sin is not singular. It has multiple manifestations, and surfaces in multiple circumstances and dimensions of our lives. It takes different forms, appearing in diverse times, but it is invariably related to the same root structure of evil desires in our lives.
And the rooting out of sin takes time and patience, along with ongoing activity. Sin is never removed on one occasion never to reappear. Sin must be removed. Its roots must be pulled at and extracted. It must be replaced with godly activity. And then days, weeks, or months later, the process must be repeated again (and again) as deeper and previously unseen roots produce the fruit of more indwelling sin.
Thanks be to God, who not only gives us eyes to see the extent of our sin, but also the power through the indwelling work of the Spirit of God to overcome the weaker indwelling sin in our lives.
Words of Grace 