There is an old Chinese proverb that goes something like, “It is better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war.” This seems to be a perfectly logical argument, according to the wisdom of men. However, this is not how the Lord operates. There is a war going on right now for the souls of God’s children. But who is it that the Lord calls to serve in this war? “Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, whoso desireth to reap let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God. Yea, whosoever will thrust in his sickle and reap, the same is called of God.” (D&C 11:3-4). The Lord does not say the field is red already for the slaughter, therefore, whoso desireth to slay let him thrust in his sword with his might. The Lord calls gardeners, not warriors, to serve by His side. To be a warrior in a war is the most natural thing in the world. Not one person has ever needed to be taught how to fight. They may need to be taught how to win in a fair fight, but every single one of us has a natural, innate combativeness. God doesn’t need any more fighters. The world is bursting at the seams with all of the fighting going on. What God needs are gardeners. God needs sons and daughters who can put off their natural tendency to treat the world and everything in it, including God, as their enemy, and beat their swords into plowshares and seek to cultivate the fruits of the spirit - humility, compassion, forgiveness, brotherly kindness, diligence, charity. I know we all want to rip branches off of the living vine and go out and beat the evil and the stupid and the ugly out of everyone who just isn’t listening, and, like James and John, the Sons of Thunder, call down fire upon all the unbelievers. But it takes real courage to stay attached to the living vine and bring forth fruit. The world is full of people who are comfortable trampling all over the tender shoots of wheat in their eagerness to uproot and burn every tare they can find, but the Lord needs gardeners who can patiently tend to all of the plants - the wheats and the tares - and love unconditionally all of God’s children, and not try to draw lines around who counts as our neighbors and who doesn’t. A Warrior finds a friend with their family slain and their house destroyed and swears vengeance and races off to avenge their friend sevenfold. A gardener finds that same friend and helps them bury their dead and rebuild their home and nurture and tend and care for their friend. The strongest warrior can only defend a garden against overwhelming odds for so long before he grows weary and is overrun and the garden is destroyed. The humblest gardener, refusing ever to give up and trusting in the Lord, can with diligence and patience and love unbounded turn even the largest and deadliest war into a beautiful and peaceful garden by caring for one plant at a time.
