Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” – Matthew 13:30

Today’s Scripture Reading (August 26, 2014): Matthew 13

The Ice Bucket Challenge for ALS seems to be picking up steam.  (For those wondering how Star Trek’s Captain Picard might respond to the challenge, you can find the video here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty6-Ug1wk-0.) By the way, Captain Picard really has got the ice bucket challenge right. Originally the challenge was to either donate to ALS research or pour a bucket of ice water over your head. The idea was that it is easier to donate money than put yourself through the discomfort of having a bucket of ice poured over you. But instead of a challenge, what has resulted is people with a desire to do (hopefully) both. We see the ice water part on our computer screens, the donating of money is a much more private function.

But as with anything that gains popularity, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has its detractors. Recently there have been a few celebrities that have spoken out against the Ice Bucket Challenge because of some ALS research is conducted on animals even though, according to the protestors, there is evidence suggesting that animal research will never help us in finding  cure for the disease. And so we have the classic dilemma of life, how do we do good without also doing evil?

However, I do recognize the problem. ALS is a horrible disease that robs a person of so much of their life. Having said that, we have been given the responsibility of caring for creation, which would have to include the life on which we do our medical research. Sin properly understood would seem to be the wanton disregard for the creation that is around us. The care of the planet and all of the animals of the earth is really up to us.

So does that mean, as some have asserted, that we should stop this Ice Bucket Challenge thing – or at least the donating to ALS part. And that would seem to be the point of this parable of Jesus. Jesus talks about a field that is planted with seed, but at the same time an enemy comes and plants weeds. The problem was that to pull the weeds too early meant the possibility of destroying all the good that was in the field. So the solution that the farmer comes to is to let both the weeds and the wheat grow in the field side by side, but at harvest time the weeds should be burned while the wheat is taken to be stored in the barn. For our Ice Bucket Challenge, we need to be able to separate the good in medical research from the weeds that may have crept in. We need to continue to support ALS research while protesting the indiscriminate use of animals in that research. It cannot be either or, it has to be both.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Luke 8