Jesus told a parable about a farmer sowing a field with good seed, only to have an enemy sow weeds in the same field. As the young plants grew, it took some time before the weeds could be identified. Once discovered, the farm workers questioned the farmer, “Didn’t you sow good seed? How could this happen?” To which the farmer replied, “An enemy has done this.” So, the farm workers replied, “Should we start pulling up the weeds?” And the farmer said, “No, if you do that now, some wheat will be destroyed, too. Wait until the harvest, and then the reapers will gather the weeds to be burned, and the wheat into my storehouses.” Now, expand the idea and think of the whole world as the field, humans as the seeds, both wheat and weeds, and the angels as farm workers and reapers, and I think you have Jesus’ main idea.
Consider how important our fully developed and matured souls are to the Lord, that He willingly allows bad seeds to grow alongside us because dealing with the bad seeds right now would also destroy some souls. He chooses to patiently endure the growth of evil to maturity, in order to save all of the souls possible. Only when the harvest is ready at the end of the age, will He reap evil hearts to burn in the fire, and gather worthy souls into His mansions.
Notice, in the beginning the weeds and wheat are hard to discern, but as they grow, at some point they become identifiable. Even then they are not dealt with. Only at the harvest at the end of the age once both good and bad souls are fully matured, will both be reaped and gathered. I recall an old children’s rhyme, “Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?” Are you wheat, or a weed?
Grace & Peace, Charles.