Genuine or Counterfeit?
When given a choice, do you prefer the real thing or an imitation? Genuine money or counterfeit? An actual rainbow in the real sky, no matter how faint … or a colorful, gaudy fake representation, short on colors and substance? A plant that actually bears a harvest or one that looks just like that plant but only bears weed seeds? The Real One or the imposter?
Carrying on with our gardening theme, we’re going to talk about wheat and tares, the real deal as opposed to a cheap imitation. Sometimes it is easy to spot a fake, especially when we’re really well acquainted with the genuine article (such as a banker who knows all the essential elements of a 50 dollar bill and won’t be fooled by a counterfeit). My friend, Reverend Wayne Monbleau used to use this illustration at times in his messages, saying that it is good to know the Bible really well, so that when you hear false teaching, you will easily be able to spot it. Knowing all the elements that make up the pure and true original make spotting knockoffs much easier.
Sadly, as time passes it is often not so easy to distinguish between such things. In some ways it seems to be getting increasingly challenging. In current times, even judging if a video is real or fake is hard, because so many things are created or changed by AI. And there are many forces in the “world” that would gladly rewrite not only history, but reality itself if it helps them gain control over an unsuspecting people.
Personally, I will always prefer the real deal. My videos and blog posts may take me longer to create, but they are truly from my mind and hand. And those creators who are genuine and authentic are so much more intriguing and meaningful to me. It’s actually quite refreshing to see something that is right from someone’s heart.
Nothing New Under the Sun
There are many in the culture at large who are increasingly ready to manipulate things in an artificial way, in order to gain power and influence. Sadly, this corruption has seemed to spill over into the Church as well. It’s really no surprise. When preparing His disciples for what they would be facing in the future, Jesus warned them (in Luke chapter 21) that “…many will come in my name, claiming ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.” (Luke 20:8b)
If they needed to have a heads up back then, SURELY we need to be alert in this day and age.
Several books in the New Testament tell stories of the need to challenge the many who were preaching heresy in that day. Surely that kind of false teaching is just as prevalent today. There is indeed “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
Isaiah 5:20 says “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”
A very profound passage from 2 Timothy 3:1-7 highlights things to watch for, and seems to fit the current cultural climate in many respects: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God–have nothing to do with them.”
Ouch!!! That was written a couple of thousand years ago, and sounds like it could have been written today. So much for our advanced societies… Nothing new indeed…
Wheat or Tares?
The Bible says, in Matthew 13:24-30,
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
“‘An enemy did this,’ He replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'”
In some translations, “weeds” is translated as “tares”, and even more specifically in others as “darnel” (weeds that resemble wheat).
The main point in that story seems to be that it will be a “given” that there will be people who supposedly follow Christ, even within the Church, that are not the real deal. It is not our place to take it upon ourselves to destroy them, because in doing so, we may uproot genuine believers in the process, either because we don’t understand that person’s heart fully (which of course, we DON’T), or in the process of removing them from the field, the adjacent plants (i.e. the true believers at their side) will be harmed as well. Before the plants are matured, it is hard to tell which is which. The Lord will sort it all out at the end, once everyone has been shown to be “in Him” or not. And, as the Bible also says (in 2 Timothy 2:19), “the Lord knows those who are his”.
There are many other passages about the Church needing to police its own, so I’m not saying we are supposed to have a “nothing matters” or “tolerate all things” approach. In fact THAT attitude has caused a LOT of destruction and corruption not only in the world around us, but also in the Church as well.
In future episodes, hopefully discussions on additional scriptures, and things like “weeds” will lend more clarity on all that. Today, this specific “counterfeit” issue seems timely.
True Rainbows
During this month of June, there are certain forces that would attempt to co-opt one of the most beautiful and enduring symbols in the Bible–representing the covenant that God made after destroying all but Noah and his family in the flood. That sign, the rainbow, would serve in this way: “Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” (Genesis 9:14-15)
That REAL and authentic symbol appears in the natural realm, usually after a storm, from my experience. The only One who can make a REAL rainbow is God. People can use water or prisms to approximate the colors that separate to form all the beautiful hues. But the actual rainbow in the sky is as profoundly beautiful as it is momentary and elusive. One has to be in the “right place at the right time” to see one and usually has to first go through a storm of some sort. Trying to hold that moment in time is as fleeting as trying to hold mist in your hand, or trying to bottle a refreshing breeze. We can take pictures of course, but they don’t hold a candle to the real thing in that profound place and time experience.
That beautiful image in the sky in some ways represents God’s commitment to Life, after the devastation of the Flood. And of course, the full extent of that Love was later expressed on the Cross as Jesus ratified the New Covenant in His blood. His blood provided a way for us to ETERNALLY have Life.
The mind of man has tried to recreate the rainbow into his own image … saying that celebrating our own self expression is what “love” is all about.
It doesn’t matter how many bright, bold and in-your-face colors we use, no matter how big the image we create, it will never rival or come close to the actual appearing of a legitimate rainbow. Even some in the church would say that we are not loving if we do not go along with the human celebration of our selfishness.
Perhaps some of those tares have begun to mature and are starting to show that all they will produce is more weeds. Those weeds that were planted by evil forces look and sound like the real thing, but produce no enduring fruit that leads to Life.
Some of these “false” representations can be so appealing, especially to young and impressionable minds. Sadly, they are cheap imitations of the real thing. As Paul expressed in 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”
Joy in the Midst of the Storm
Last year, when I had gone down to Florida to help care for my mother and step-father for a while, Hurricane Idalia hit us a couple of weeks after my arrival. That was quite the experience, to say the least! Much of it was recorded in the Manna From My Father’s Hand blog if you want to scroll back to late August 2023. Here is a link to that specific blog post also called “Be Not Afraid” https://manna.shiningriver.com/the-wilderness-walk-part-5/
As recounted in that story, there were beautiful and tender moments in the aftermath of that storm, one of which was a brief rainbow in the cloudy sky which I tried to capture with a picture on my phone. Of course, any picture doesn’t do the “real thing” justice…. That’s the picture you see in the thumbnail for this episode.
The brazen, gaudy, six colored and audacious images of the prideful rainbow that you will see so often this month are nothing compared to the genuine, simple yet glorious appearing of the seven colored, perfect and True Rainbow (no matter how faint) that can show up at the most poignant times, after the storms of your life. It represents the promise from the God of Heaven to us.
So, as you go through this month, ask yourself, as appealing as all those bright colors may be, and whether or not you find all the flamboyant clothes and celebrations desirable or disgusting, would you rather have a cheap imitation or the real thing?
I’ll opt for the genuine article every time.
Next time you go through a storm, whether real or figurative, perhaps it would do you well to keep your eyes on the skies, where you just might see His handiwork, using His Light, brushed in living color across the expanse of the fading clouds, letting you know He loves you and all will be well….
If that seems strange to you, maybe seek Jesus so you can find Him, and He’ll let you know what on earth I’m talking about….
Your Choice
So, finally, when the dust settles, here are some questions to ponder. Which one would YOU choose … the Real One or the imposter? Which one HAVE you chosen? Which one WILL you choose? Which one will HE choose? Which one represents your heart, wheat or tares?
Lots of questions … lots of choices … hope you make the one that leads to Life….
This Week's Song Highlight
This week’s highlighted song is from the Painter of the Heavens CD (produced by and available through Loving Grace Ministries).
The Lord paints such beautiful things with His Light, not only sunsets and sunrises, but Rainbows as well. This song, called “Beautiful Light” was written by my husband. I sing on the album, along with many talented musicians playing the instruments.
A link to a “short” video of this song will be linked here once it has been released.
The Painter of the Heavens CD is available at this link, and purchases will support that wonderful Christ centered ministry called Loving Grace Ministries.
“In the beautiful light, yeah, the beautiful light. As I linger here, well, I draw near to You in the beautiful light. And oh, the wonders, the wonders of Your love. They shine so brightly that I just can’t get enough.”
(From “Beautiful Light”, by Robert Prokopowitz, CCLI song # 4376763)