Some people told me that they are scandalized because they see a lot of
things wrong with the Church, and I told them:
If you ask a fly:
“Are there flowers here in the area?”
They will say: “i don’t know, down there in the pit there are cans, manure, dirt,
and it will spread all the dirt on you wherever it went.”
But if you ask a bee:
“Have you seen any dirt around here?”
She will tell you:” Dirt? No, I haven’t seen any, here the place is full of fragrant
flowers and she will mention a bunch of garden flowers, field flowers, etc”
You see, the fly only knows where there is rubbish, while the bee knows that
over there is a lily, over there is a gardenia, over there is a rose …
As I understand it, some people are like the bee and others like the fly.
Those who look like a fly are always looking for what’s wrong and dwell in it,
they don’t see any good anywhere! Those who are like the bee find
everywhere what is good!
He who has good thoughts, whatever he sees, no matter what you say to him,
he will have good thoughts!
Saint Paisios of Mount Athos
Translated by Dr. Nick Stergiou
The fly and the bee
