During his first day of work, the town preacher stops by to bless the man's work, saying, "May you and God work together to make this the farm of your dreams!"
A few months later, the preacher stops by again to call on the farmer. Look and behold3. It's like a completely different place -- the farmhouse is completely rebuilt and in excellent condition, there are plenty of cattle and other livestock4 happily munching5 on feed in well-fenced pens, and the fields are filled with crops planted in neat rows. "Amazing!" the preacher says. "Look what God and you have accomplished6 together!"
"Yes, reverend," says the farmer, "but remember what the farm was like when God was working it alone!"
一個(gè)農(nóng)民買了一塊破舊、荒廢的農(nóng)場(chǎng),他計(jì)劃著把農(nóng)場(chǎng)改造成一座欣欣向榮的園林。農(nóng)場(chǎng)目前的狀況是雜草遍布,房屋破舊不堪,四周的籬笆也東倒西歪。
在他著手改造的第一天,一個(gè)城里的傳教士停下來(lái)祝福他:“愿上帝與你一起實(shí)現(xiàn)你的夢(mèng)想!”
過(guò)了幾個(gè)月,那個(gè)傳教士又一次來(lái)拜訪農(nóng)民。駐足觀看,這里發(fā)生了天翻地覆的變化:房屋重新被整修過(guò),條件也優(yōu)于從前,成群的牛羊正在歡快地吃著青草,地里的莊稼也成排地生長(zhǎng)著。“太不可思議了,”傳教士驚呼道,“看啊,上帝和你一起實(shí)現(xiàn)了你的夢(mèng)想!”
“是的,教士,”那個(gè)農(nóng)民說(shuō)道:“可你別忘了,當(dāng)初這個(gè)農(nóng)場(chǎng)只由上帝一人管理時(shí)是個(gè)什么樣子!”