Gardener

There is a story about a man who cleared a pile of stones from an unremarkable plot of land and turned it into a beautiful garden. People came from all directions to see that unusually beautiful sight.

On one occasion, a random passerby visited the garden. He was delighted, but he wanted to make sure that the gardener did not attribute all the credit to himself. Deep down, he felt that many people leave God out.

He walked around the garden hoping to meet the gardener, which eventually happened. He shook hands with him and said:
“Sir gardener, you and good God together made this beautiful garden.”

The gardener immediately understood the message and meaning of those words. He replied:
“I think that is true. If it had not been for the sun and rain, the miracle of seeds, the soil, and the seasons, there would have been no garden at all.”

Then he added:
“But you know, you should have seen this place a few years ago, when God was doing everything alone.”

JIM RON

I wanted to draw attention to this unusual story, which at first glance is short, but in fact says a great deal.

I understood the story as a reminder of how God has perfectly arranged everything in this world. This gardener especially reminded me of that in the last sentence. Indeed, everything is a divine gift, and what a wondrous providence it is that man was created to be, in a sense, an extended hand of the Creator of all things. God, who created heaven and earth, also created man, who acts according to God’s will, formed to create beautiful works, making his work reflect the likeness of God. Every person carries within themselves the power of creation and creativity, and even the aesthetic expression of this world is a reflection of deep spirituality and a connection with divine providence. And once again we return to Dostoevsky, who says that “Beauty will save the world.” And it will, as long as we remain human.