In Matthew 13 Jesus tells a parable about wheat and weeds. At first wheat and weeds look the same, but over time their distinctions become clear: wheat produces life, and weeds produce death. When he explains this parable to his disciples Jesus tells them that the wheat represents the people of His Kingdom, and the weeds represent those deceived by the enemy. Both exist in the world today, and like the weeds, those planted into the world by the enemy are difficult to spot. As we follow Jesus today, this parable teaches us that revival always has a rival—Satan sows deception, distraction, and division right alongside the work of God. And while we can’t always tell the difference right away, our call is to remain faithful, alert, and hopeful in Christ until the final harvest.
