Eradicating a Livestock Irritation

As a Narnia lover, I felt much like the Pevencie children in C. S. Lewis’s book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, when it seemed like some magic was chasing them into the wardrobe. I wanted to write about the World War II Veterans Monument at the Pixley Cemetery here in the Bend but knew more research would make it better. Bouncing around in my mind was recent research about Cherokee ancestors and Moravians in Georgia in the 1700s,coupled with a separate discovery of a Moravian connection in North Carolina with the Gates’ family at about the same time in history. Nevertheless, I found myself feeling almost forced to write about the prickly cocklebur.

The Despised Cocklebur

                I have fought cockleburs on Mother's farm since 2013. During the years we cared for Dad following his stroke, I could hardly wage a war on the cocklebur. Since Dad’s death, the battle became more heated during the past two summers. I have still felt the wicked plant got the upper hand.

                My name has been associated with the term tree hugger. My 93-year-old mother cautiously approves chemical use on her land. So I decided to try another solution first.

                About a month ago, I began looking for the first emergence of the innocuous-appearing green leaves on spindly stems. At least five days a week, I’ve been scrutinizing the region of the pasture where the cockleburs have grown prolifically for the past several years.

                Once I spotted the first tiny nuisance this season, I purposed to work vigorously, usually each morning, to pull each cocklebur plant in sight out by the roots. As I have pulled each despicable weed, I thought of Hebrews 12:16 - 

Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. The Message

                Most of the translations warn of the “root of bitterness” and its destructiveness in a person’s life and all who love and interact with that person. As I pulled one of the young cocklebur plants, I thought of how ineffective the cutting of mature cocklebur plants had been a couple of years ago. I had waited too late to eradicate the cockleburs that summer. Destroying cockleburrs must start early.

                Moses inspired by God warned of turning one’s heart away from God and instead worshiping something else. He cautioned in Deuteronomy 29:18 of “a root bearing bitterness.” Interestingly, in this Old Testament passage, the following verse gave insight into the heart of this individual intimating to one’s self that “I shall have peace” even though I am doing things my own way, ignoring God’s principles.

                Just as I spot and pull the cocklebur in its early growth stages, I must identify the attitude of bitterness as early as possible. If the attitude is pulled out by my confessing its horrible presence in my life, then God will enable me to do what I cannot do alone. Scripture passages can be read, memorized, and most importantly, obeyed to overcome the attitude of bitterness.

                However, if I let the attitude of bitterness toward a person or a situation continue, the noxious attitude will pervade my thoughts, tumble out of my mouth in cutting words, and culminate with spiteful actions.

                We must rid our minds and hearts of the toxic attitudes before they shoot up to infect the very thoughts we think. The thoughts will absorb all our creativity and energy in a negative way and spew hurtful, unkind words indiscriminately on unsuspecting victims. Finally, we alienate most people from us because they fear cruel actions inevitably will come from our bitter attitudes, thoughts, and words.
                 After receiving a quarter inch of rain this week, I recalled Jesus indicating He was "the water of life." God's Word is compared with water, too. After God had sent our refreshing shower, the soil around the hated cockleburs had been softened making it much easier to pull even the larger plant pests. As the rain-moistened soil more easily relented its hold on the useless pasture pests, so the reading, hearing, and obeying God's Word sensitizes our hearts to ridding our lives of destructive habits and tendencies as we seek to strengthen our relationship with Jesus.

One of the still immature, emerging cocklebur plants. Even though a little over
19 inches tall, the previous night's shower made it easy to pull this plant pest. 

                The final thought must be a passage Mother loves to quote. It is the answer, the source for power to “dig out the bitterness” and one of the best sections of scripture to memorize to counter a attitude of bitterness.

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, 

and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, 
                                          even as God in Christ forgave you. 
                                                             Ephesians 4:31-32