"The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, 'Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares?'...'Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, 'Gather ye together first the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.''" (Matt 13:25-27,30)
Christ explains that, "The good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one..." (Matt 13:38). This means that, in the 'last days', there are tares growing amongst the wheat. There are many parallels that can be drawn from this parable-some of which can be quite a stretch-so bare with me while I explain some of my thoughts regarding this parable.
It says that the master of that field sowed good seed, and typically a field full of wheat with scattered tares would be the image. However, even on the fairly secluded Latter-Day Saint island I live on, it feels as if the man with good seed snuck into the "enemy's" field at night and sowed his good seed in the midst of the planted tares (not sure why anyone would plant tares, but I told you it was a stretch). Whether it is legitimately true or simply something that the adversary is putting in my mind I don't know, but sometimes I feel like I am significantly out of place surrounded by the glorious success of all the tares around me. But, even in this, I remember that-though it may feel otherwise-the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the master of the field. I remember to pray to him that I may be wheat. I pray to be among the plants that, when they are gathered in, are taken to the barn and not the furnace. This brings me to my next point which is much more of a thought and not an interpretation of the story: the tares were not separated until the harvest, and neither was the wheat. Were it physically possible, there would be plenty of time for the tares to recognize they are the undesired weed and change so that they too could be gathered into the barn. However, because the wheat and the tares look so similar, the wheat sometimes gets confused and thinks that the wheat will be burned at the harvest. That poor wheat may get caught up in the up-shoot of tares all around him (non-exclusively masculine). He may feel as I said I do; that he is the stranger. And, to avoid sifting, the poor, confused wheat changes his volition to mirror that of the tares he looked up to.
How do we know if we are a stalk of wheat or tare? If we are a tare, how can we become wheat?
Just as I alluded to in my tangent roughly based on Christ's parable, the master of the field is the only one that can tell you apart from the others. He is the only one that sees everyone and can better tell you what you need to do to become wheat. The tares around you will tell you they are the crop and you are the weed. If you do happen upon some meek wheat, their voice of confirmation is so frequently drowned out by the uproar of the tares declaring their make-up the evolved and improved form.
Step two after discerning your wheat-tare status, you must do all you can to become the healthiest wheat or alter your tare-ish habits to align with the guidelines set up for wheat. Like unto determining your standing, the only way to know is to ask the master of the field as he comes around to inspect the crop.
I've certainly gone too far with this metaphor, but I hope the meaning is clear. Our loving Heavenly Father is the master of this earth. Satan proclaims himself as the God of this world, but that is only true if we succumb our will to his and to those who preach is doctrine. Like the field of wheat and tares, right and wrong has seemingly begun to mesh. It is getting harder and harder to determine what is right. We look around and may see some wheat (followers of Christ) doing good things, but we also see so many tares doing...not-bad-things.
The trick is to not look around for your answer. Those that would be the wheat in this beat-to-death metaphor have great advice, but the advice from the 'tares' would also be beneficial. The advice that needs to be studied and implemented can only be found from looking straight up at the master of the field. Our guidance and validation shouldn't come from anywhere other than our Father in Heaven who will answer us if we sincerely and diligently seek him.
In times like these, referred to as the 'last times', I'm grateful for the chance I have to look up and communicate with my God. It may be a humility faux pas, but I believe that I am wheat and this is his field. I'm not saying that among the wheat I have the highest quality, but I have felt the promise of the Holy Ghost confirming to me that this is God's field. I believe The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has the capacity to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness. I sustain Thomas S. Monson as the prophet of God and I know that his instruction to us is from the master of the field. Next time President Monson says something that deals with everyone, might I suggest instead of looking at those around you, be it "wheat" or "tare", look up to the source, "and be not faithless, but believing." (John 20:27)
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