Mr. Wheat is standing right next to Mr. Tare. Mr. Wheat and Mr. Tare look exactly alike. In fact, they resemble one another so much that Mr. Wheat thinks Mr. Tare is his brother.

Mr. Wheat has been standing in the field with his feet in the soil, soaking up sun for quite some time with the expectation of doing what wheat is designed to do, produce wheat.

It is really an exciting experience to have such a noble goal in life in view of the fact that bread, which is made from wheat, is the staff of life. Mr. Wheat takes his reason for being very seriously.

His roots probe the ground for every necessary nourishment that it takes to produce good grain. He looks forward to seeing the fruits of his labor of standing with his feet in the soil - growing to the full stature of wheat. Mr. Wheat assumes his brother beside him feels the same devotion to his profession.

After the necessary time of standing with his feet in the soil, soaking up the rays of the warm sun that produce puslating life in his veins, he can feel the first growth of fruit begin to crown his head. He is exuberantly happy and must share these feelings of accomplishment, growth, success, and maturity with his brother.

He turns to his brother and says, “Well, brother, how does it feel?"

His brother answers, “How does it feel to do what?"

"Why, to begin producing fruit? What else?”

“Fruit? Why, I don’t know? Why do ask?”

“Why do I ask? What a silly question? I ask because that's what you are suppose to be doing.”

“I am? Who says so?”

“I say so! That's who! Wheat are supposed to produce wheat. Haven’t you ever read the Good Book where it says that every herb, every plant, every beast of the field reproduces after it’s kind and bears fruit?"

“Of course, I have read that, but what does that have to do with me?”

“It has everything to do with you. You are supposed to be producing wheat just like I am. We are wheat brothers.”

“Hey, I don’t know about you, but there is nothing in the Good Book that says I am supposed to bear wheat. It may say you are, and if you want to produce wheat, that’s fine, I don’t have a problem with that. But don’t come sticking your nose in my business telling me what to do. I am doing exactly what I was designed to do, and very well, thank you.”

“Well, if that is case, exactly what is it you are doing?”

“Why, any fool can see I am bearing darnel. What's the matter, are you blind?"

“You are bearing darnel!!!! That means you are a bad seed and it is into the fire for you!”

“Wait a minute, don’t start calling me names! Who do you think you are anyway? And far as the fire is concerned, it may be a welcome relief after a life along side of you!”

“What an attitude! I will tell you who I think I am. I am wheat, that’s who! And that is what you are supposed to be. Here you have been standing along side of me pretending to be my brother all these long months of standing in the sun with our feet in the soil? We have had all these wonderful, stimulating conversations with each other, and all along I thought you are just like me. Why I have confided my innermost private thoughts and feelings to you thinking you were my brother. You imposter! How dare you deceive me the way you have!"

“Hey, man don’t come off as Mr. Pious Wheat with me. I never deceived you. I have been a tare all my born days and never pretended to be anything else. Can I help it is I look just like you?

I was planted here by my Master and I have just as much right to be here as you do. In fact my seed went into the ground before yours did. That means I have more of a right to be here than you do. I have seniority.”

“Well, you may have seniority. And You may have been planted by your Master Planter, but your Master Planter and my Master Planter are two different Planters.”

“Well, I never said they weren’t. It seems to me if you are the good seed and you go by the Good Book, the fact that you have stood along side me all these months assuming I was your brother, shows that you have a little blind spot somewhere. Because if I recall, the Good Book also talks about my Master Planter coming out into the field and planting his seed right along side of your Master Planter's seed. So why are you so shocked? And why have you been assuming all this time I was your brother? Do you mean to tell me that you don’t even know who your brother is. I would say you have a real problem. As for me, everything's cool. I am doing just exactly what I was created to do. I am happy and I feel that I am accomplishing my main goal in life.”

“Well, that may be! But I am devastated to have learned that you are not really my brother. To think of all the hours we stood and talked and I thought you were such a good seed. Now, my heart is broken to learn that instead of being my brother that you are a bad seed planted by that bad Master Planter and we will be forever parted.

“Well, sorry bout that, old pal. You should have been paying closer attention to what the Good Book said."

"And what was that."

“Why, you shall know them by their fruits or the lack of it, of course!

About that time, Mr. Tare, began to straightened up and notice Master Harvester coming in his direction.

"Well, Mr. Wheat it’s been nice knowing you all this time. Looks like Master Harvester is here to pull me up."

Master Harvested reached down and took Mr. Tare and firmly pull him out of the ground. As he turned to place Mr. Tare in the fire, you could hear Mr. Wheat scream in agony. No, Mr. Wheat managed to escape the fire. But he had almost been pulled up by the roots along with Mr. Tare and the shock to his system was very painful. It would take quite a while for the pain to go away, after Master Planter had placed Mr. Wheat securely back in the soil, and some of the joy of producing fruit subsided since his growth had been stunted by the shock and being plucked up before his harvest time. But the Master Planter of the good seed was a loving and attentive Master. He would give him special attention, and extra nutrients to bring him up to par so that he would be ready when Harvest Time came. Gradually, Mr. Wheat grew stronger, and his joy returned, but there was a new aspect to his bearing. The proud countenance that once graced his face had given way to a humble look. He had learned that he must look to the Master Planter for his every need rather than his brother, or was it Mr. Tare, standing along side of him.

The moral of this story is that Mr. Wheat paid a very expensive price to learn the lesson of how to recognize a brother and how to recognize a tare. After such a close encounter with fire, he prayed that he would never be fooled again. His life depended upon it.