Bible Times 96

  Youth and Age: The Wisdom of Two Seasons   There was once a young man named Eli and an old gardener named Nathan who lived in a small village surrounded by hills. Eli was strong, energetic, and impatient. He believed that youth was the greatest gift a person could possess. He could run faster than most men in the village, climb trees with ease, and work from sunrise until sunset without feeling tired. Nathan, on the other hand, walked slowly. His hands were wrinkled, his back was slightly bent, and his hair had turned completely white. He spent most of his days tending a small garden outside his house. Eli often wondered why Nathan wasted so much time among the plants. One morning, Eli watched Nathan carefully placing seeds into the earth. “Why are you planting seeds?” Eli asked. Nathan smiled. “Because one day they will become trees.” Eli laughed. “One day? Why wait? I would rather plant something that grows quickly.” Nathan looked at him quietly. “P...