These three crosses were erected in the early ‘70’s by Herbert McCall, in the Pinhook Valley community in Jackson County, North Carolina. He died in 1998, and as you can see in the picture above, the old home place has been let grow up in weeds ever since. The old building was once a thriving country store several decades ago. Now, it is just a dilapidated old structure, possibly one storm away from falling down.
Even though there is a member of the original family that still lives on the property, it is not kept up like it was when the patriarchal family was alive, and the whole family chipped in with whatever work had to be done to keep the little farm successful.
Now, all but one son has moved away and, with no family of his own to help him, the work has become so overwhelming that he concentrates on just one area of upkeep.
It was my husband who discovered the crosses a few days ago, and has since cut down all the overgrowth that threatened to obscure the crosses. In our conversation about this small patch of land, we realized it symbolizes the state of church of today.
In areas of our Christian lives that were once vibrant, boldly standing out in society with a banner of Jesus Christ, has now become obscured by the invasive weeds of the world. The representation of Christ in our lives is so hidden that passersby cannot see it without stopping to investigate.
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill that cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)
And, as with the crosses above, they are few and far between. They look at the overgrowth all around us, and realize that our lives looks just like theirs. What reason is there to become a Christian if nothing is any different? What kinds of weeds make us look no different than they see themselves?
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery (infidelity, unfaithfulness to God-as well as in our earthly relationship), fornication (immoral sexual habits), uncleanness (impure-as determined by religious standards set up by God in Scripture), lasciviousness (lewdness, obsession with sexual stimulation), idolatry (hero worship, idolization, mania), witchcraft (sorcery, wizardry, magic, black magic, enchantment, conjuring), hatred (hostility, disgust, dislike), variance (hostile, aggressive, argumentative, hot-tempered), emulations (jealousy, envy, resentment), wrath (anger, rage fury), strife (rivalry, competition, conflict), seditions (division, rebellion, mutiny), heresies (profanation, sacrilege, stubbornness), envying (greed, bitterness, spite), murders, drunkenness, reveling (party animal, pleasure seeker, carouser), and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
What good is our banner if non-Christians have to wade through our weeds to see the Christ hidden within us?
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (i.e. the weeds of the world!) For you have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Galatians 5:1,13
What should be planted in the Christian’s garden? What fruit should we have to share with others?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love (friendship, tenderness, fondness), joy (delight, enjoyment, gladness), peace (harmony, reconciliation, accord, goodwill) longsuffering (confirmed, established, deep-rooted, complete) gentleness (calmness, tranquility, mellowness, restfulness), goodness (virtuousness, decency, kindness, honesty, integrity, righteousness), faith (confidence, trust, reliance, belief, assurance, commitment), meekness (humbleness, modesty, mildness, submissiveness), temperance (self-restraint, self-control, moderation, self-denial, self-discipline): against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:22-26
In the same way that ‘the old home place’ gets overgrown when there is no one to pull the weeds, trim the hedges and mow the grass, so are we as Christians when we turn away from our ‘first love’ and ignore our ‘first works’.
Nevertheless I have against you that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come to you, and will remove your lamp stand out of his place, except you repent. (Rev. 2:4-5)
While a few weeds here and there are manageable, the key is to keep up our spiritual home place through the daily renewing of the mind.
And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans12:2)
If Jesus truly lives within us, and all around our cross is grown up with weeds, maybe it’s time take inventory of the garden of our heart. Maybe the seed that was sown didn’t ‘take’.
And he spoke many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up; some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and they soon sprang up, because they had no depth of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up, and choked them out. But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. (Matthew 13:5)
Jesus says explicitly that He and the Father will come in take up residence in our heart, if we have truly been born again.
If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees him not, neither knows him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more; but you see me: because I live, you shall live also. At that day you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you…..If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. John 14:15-20, 23
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