Matthew 13:26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
There is a deeper layer in this parable that moves beyond simply identifying the difference between wheat and tares. Yeshua (Jesus) is not only revealing that the tare looks like wheat — He is warning that what it produces has the power to affect those who partake of it. The issue is not just imitation; it is ingestion. It is not only what is growing in the field, but what is being received into the heart.
In the natural world, darnel — the tare — was dangerous not merely because it resembled wheat, but because of what happened when it was harvested and consumed. Its seeds were often infected with a toxic fungus, and when mixed with real grain and ground into flour, it could cause dizziness, disorientation, and even a loss of mental clarity. In some cases, it produced effects similar to intoxication. What appeared harmless in the field became harmful in the body. This is the sobering picture Yeshua is painting.
The danger, then, is not always immediately visible. A tare can grow unnoticed for a season, but its true nature is revealed through its effect. In the same way, there are influences, teachings, and voices that may appear sound on the surface, yet when received, they do not produce life. Instead, they introduce confusion, weaken conviction, and subtly distort truth. The question is not only what something looks like, but what it imparts when embraced.
This is where discernment becomes deeply personal. The parable is not just about identifying what is false in the field — it is about guarding what is allowed into our own lives. Because deception is not merely something to observe from a distance, it is something that can be absorbed if we are not watchful. What we consistently take in will shape our thinking, influence our convictions, and ultimately affect how clearly we see.
In this hour, the field is full, and the voices are many. Access to teaching, influence, and information is constant. But not everything that is available is life-giving. Some things carry mixture. Some things carry subtle distortion. And, like the tare, their effects are often gradual. They do not immediately destroy; they slowly dull spiritual sensitivity, weaken discernment, and make compromise feel acceptable.
Yeshua’s warning, then, is not only about recognizing deception — it is about refusing to consume it. Discernment requires more than observation; it requires intentionality. It calls us to test what we hear, to weigh what we receive, and to remain anchored in what is true. Because what we feed on will determine what we become. If we feed on truth, we grow in clarity. If we feed on mixture, we begin to tolerate compromise. And if we feed on deception, even in subtle ways, it will affect our ability to discern.
This is why the battle in this parable is not just in the field — it is in the heart. The Lord is calling His people to maturity, to move beyond passive reception into active discernment. To no longer accept something simply because it is presented, but to examine its source, its substance, and its fruit.
This is a call to guard your spiritual appetite. Not everything that appears acceptable is beneficial, and not everything that resembles truth carries life. The Spirit of God is leading His people into a place of clarity — where we are no longer easily swayed, but firmly rooted in truth.
Do not feed on what dulls your spirit or weakens your conviction. Instead, return again and again to what is pure, what is true, and what produces life. Because in this hour, what you receive will determine how clearly you see. Those who guard their hearts and remain anchored in truth will not be overcome by deception. They will walk in clarity, stand in strength, and be prepared for what is ahead. This is the hour to be watchful, to be discerning, and to be rooted deeply in truth. For the difference between wheat and tares is no longer hidden — and those who are awake will not be deceived.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]This story is such a powerful illustration of testing and faith that I can’t help but speak about it over and over again. How the Lord could sleep in a boat in a violent storm speaks volumes about His own self-confidence and His natural capacity to disappear from the scene so He can check how well His disciples have apprehended His miraculous power, and really trust Him. He doesn’t spare them one tiny bit from the sense of real and imminent danger. The storm is ferocious, the waves gigantic, the boat really is being overwhelmed with water, nearly swamped, the situation truly is life-threatening, and He’s out, quietly refreshing Himself in dreamland.
Have you ever considered why Abraham was called the father of faith? Why not Enoch, who was translated from this world? Or Noah, who by faith created an ark to save mankind in the days of the flood? Abraham didn’t perform any miracles, signs, or wonders, which would qualify him by today’s standards of spiritual performance, yet he is known as the Father of Faith, simply because he trusted in the Kingdom to come.
Last week, we discussed the significance of Jerusalem in the culmination of the age. Here, we’ll continue to scratch that surface. The word “Jerusalem” is so rich with meaning that a single devotion will only begin to unpack it; there are so many etymological approaches. But most agree that the root letters at the end, שלם (shalem) spell a Hebrew word requiring numerous English words to fully comprehend including, “perfect”, “complete”, “sound”, “whole”, “harmony”, “peace”, etc. In addition, the concept of payment is present, as לשלם (leshalem), “to pay”, also suggests “reward”.
When God set apart the Seventh Day it was after He Himself had worked for six, and then rested. Shabbat is therefore, “primordial” in a real sense, something established from the beginning of time. This makes the pattern of working six days and resting on the seventh something fundamental to human existence, and something exceedingly blessed.
The expectation of the coming Kingdom of God is intimately connected with the restoration of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. The preceding passage describes Zion in labor, as once again, we find the metaphor of birth used to convey this scriptural promise. It is a national gestation which will not be aborted, but will come to fruition. But first, before this labor begins…a “male child” is born… This can be none other than Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah, Israel’s King, Himself, arriving beforehand, (on a donkey, at that), quite some time before the labor which gives birth to the nation; and causing the prophet to wonder if a nation can be born in a day.
Here’s an interesting fact about American church history that you may not know. Years ago, when the first New England churches were designed, they were built with clear windows rather than the stained glass ones we see so often today — and the graveyard was usually built in the churchyard, which would normally be seen from the pulpit. Why?
Yesterday, we began our series of devotions focused on the birthing of the Kingdom. Continuing to develop these insights, let’s look at day 2 of creation and its focus upon water.