A few years ago, marriage and family expert Greg Smalley noticed weeds sprouting up amongst the healthy grass in his yard. Smalley went to a hardware store, picked up a bottle of weed killer, and drenched the eyesores. A day later the weeds remained—along with the brown grass Smalley had inadvertently killed. He tried again, and again killed more healthy grass. His wife finally told him to speak with a professional before he killed their whole yard and left nothing but the weeds. So, off he went for professional help.

Smalley recalls, "What he said I'll never forget because it applies to marriage [or dealing with sin in our lives in general]. You don't go after the weeds. You want to grow the healthy grass around them. That healthy grass will kill the weeds. It will choke out the weeds."

Possible Preaching Angles: Marriage; Spiritual Disciplines; Growth—Although this illustration was originally used to teach about marriage, the principle in this story also applies to spiritual disciplines and spiritual growth. In other words, we grow not just by pulling the weeds of sin; we grow by growing healthy grass (Christlike virtues and desires).