10/20/2026
AS THE WORLD TURNS—WHAT ARE WE BECOMING?
By Pastor Hardie Blake Jr. — hbjr
An original modern parable inspired by the teachings of Jesus, using fifteen classic soap-opera titles.
There was a town whose people gathered every evening to watch stories about other people’s lives. They discussed the characters’ marriages, secrets, betrayals, troubles, and dreams.
But outside their windows, their own neighbors were hurting.
One morning, a gardener placed a table in a vacant lot. On it were seeds, tools, bread, and a lamp. Beside it stood a sign:
“What kind of tomorrow are we planting today?”
A crowd gathered.
“We are too busy for gardening,” one man said. “We have lives to live.”
The gardener answered, “Then let us speak about life.”
“These are the Days of Our Lives,” he began. “Every day gives us something to tend: a relationship, a responsibility, a wound, an opportunity. A neglected garden grows weeds. What is growing in the days entrusted to you?”
A young woman stepped forward.
“I am trying to escape my past. I am always looking for something better.”
“Your Search for Tomorrow can begin with a faithful step today,” the gardener replied. “But take care: tomorrow can become a hiding place where we postpone the good we already know to do.”
An older man shook his head.
“The world has changed too much. What can any of us do?”
“As the World Turns, you still have a neighbor to love, a truth to tell, and a wrong you can refuse to repeat. You cannot direct the whole world, but your conduct helps shape the world someone else experiences.”
A wealthy merchant approached.
“When I have earned enough, I will begin helping.”
“You have One Life to Live,” said the gardener. “What if ‘enough’ keeps moving farther away? Make room for generosity while you are still able to give.”
A mother looked toward the children playing beside the empty lot.
“I only want a good future for my children.”
“Then consider All My Children,” he replied. “The children beyond your doorway will become your children’s neighbors, coworkers, and leaders. The future you desire for your own family is connected to what happens to other families.”
Someone pointed at the lamp.
“Why bring a light in the daytime?”
“Because people can lose their way even in broad daylight. Choose your Guiding Light carefully. Examine whether the voices you follow lead you toward truth, mercy, humility, and love—or merely flatter your anger.”
A tired worker sat down.
“I have lost my Love of Life.”
The gardener broke the bread and offered him a piece.
“Then today we will sit beside you. You need not carry your weariness alone.”
He turned to the crowd.
“Encouragement sometimes begins with bread, company, and a listening ear.”
Nearby, a woman smiled politely but said nothing.
Her neighbor whispered, “She has no problems.”
“Do not be so certain,” said the gardener. “There may be The Secret Storm behind a peaceful face. Ask gently. Listen patiently. Never assume that the pain you cannot see does not exist.”
As evening approached, a frightened man asked, “What if things become worse?”
“At The Edge of Night, we need people willing to keep a light burning,” the gardener answered. “Fear can tempt us toward cruelty and suspicion. Let it move us instead to prepare wisely and care for one another.”
A child picked up a packet of seeds.
“Will these make The Brighter Day?”
“They can help,” he said, smiling, “if someone plants them, waters them, and shares what grows. Hope gives us a reason to labor.”
Across the street stood houses behind tall fences. Beyond them were families sleeping in cars.
“It is like Another World over there,” someone said.
“Then cross the street and learn,” replied the gardener. “A person’s circumstances may be unfamiliar to you. Their need for dignity, safety, and belonging should not be.”
A group of teenagers laughed.
“The adults call us The Young and the Restless.”
“You have energy,” he told them. “You have questions and abilities that need room to grow.”
Then he addressed their elders.
“Will you teach them? Will you trust them with useful work? Will you help them build something they can one day own?”
A well-dressed couple arrived, recording themselves on their phones.
“We could make this place famous,” they announced.
“Perhaps,” said the gardener. “But The Bold and the Beautiful must also learn to be honest and kind. When the recording ends, who will stay to do the work?”
Just then, a man stumbled near the gate. Two people hurried to support him while another called for help.
“He needs General Hospital,” someone cried.
“Yes,” said the gardener. “Get him the care he needs.”
The crowd grew quiet.
“Now remember this urgency when a neighbor needs food, shelter, protection, or someone to hear their distress. Some wounds announce themselves. Others wait behind closed doors.”
Finally, a little girl asked, “What is the name of this garden?”
The gardener looked at the tools now in people’s hands, the bread being shared, and the neighbors learning one another’s names.
“Call it Loving,” he said.
“And how will we know when it is finished?”
He knelt beside her.
“Come back tomorrow. There will be someone to care for, something to mend, and something worth growing.”
That evening, the people returned to their homes. But several paused before turning on their televisions.
One called an estranged brother.
Another carried supper to a widow.
A contractor offered to teach the teenagers.
The merchant purchased tools.
And the mother invited children from both sides of the street to help plant the first row.
Their past had not disappeared. Their troubles were not all resolved.
But they had begun to take responsibility for the next part of their story.
As the world turns, what are we becoming?
What are we teaching through the days of our lives?
And what kind of tomorrow are we planting for all our children?
To God be all the glory all the time.
hbjr
