If you look at a strand of DNA, you will notice what scientists call a “double helix,” two strands winding around each other with connectors in between that contain the make-up of each biological person.

If Jesus were a biologist today, I imagine that’s how he might describe the human spirit. For his example of the human spirit as explained by Matthew in chapter 13 is a complex entanglement of roots –namely two plants growing side by side whose roots are entwined together. They are rooted together so much that to pull out one would also destroy the other. Only at harvest time can they be separated and gathered.  As long as they are living and growing, both must remain intact.

Often we read this scripture as though Jesus were simply talking about different kinds of people. But when you re…