Virginia Creeper

My fight with Virginia Creeper reminds me each time I work in my flower beds of the curse of sin. Not only did mankind experience the curse in their bodies, but God also cursed the ground:

Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:17-19)

In case you aren’t familiar with Virginia Creeper, it is an invasive vine that grows wild and is nearly impossible to eradicate. It grows in a flower bed in my back yard with irises and amaryllises and would completely choke them out if I didn’t fight it. I always think about the above verse in Genesis 3 as I’m fighting against this weed. Weeds are a symbol of the curse of sin. Just like this vine will grow and choke out my flowers if I don’t wage war against it, sin will choke out your life if you don’t stay vigilant in your Christian walk. When weeds grow unchecked in a flower bed, it’s a sure sign of neglect. If we neglect to pray, read our Bibles, meditate, worship, and lean on God, we will soon see signs of sin creeping into our life and choking out our joy and witness.

I’m thankful that God gives us object lessons in our physical world to teach us spiritual truths. Jesus did this all the time when He taught by parables. The Bible is filled with types and shadows pointing to Christ. I think God chose thorns, thistles, and weeds to give us a picture of the detrimental effects of sin. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8)