The bad news about a warning is that it usually isn’t pleasant to hear, and it generally means there is some amount of danger ahead. Typically it comes with the assumption that I should do something. The good news is that warnings are often timely. So for what is it worth, it’s worth considering warnings for what they are.
Occasionally I will stop to read the expiration date stamped on a package of food before I eat it, especially if the package contains perishable fruit or vegetables. I have learned from sad experience that a container of raspberries doesn’t last very long after I buy them (not that I have a lot of restraint from devouring them in one sitting anyway.) However I have noticed, after I have had my share of the raspberries, and another family member hasn’t yet eaten theirs, raspberries soon begin to grow mold and perish. If one starts to spoil, and I don’t notice in time, it doesn’t matter what the warning date on the package says, be it near or far. If I can find the part that is offensive and remove it, I have a chance. When I don’t, the mold spreads quickly and deeply. It devours the raspberries well before I can.
I have been pondering a short verse in the Doctrine & Covenants lately because of what it potentially means for me. The single verse doesn’t appear as a warning, but there are some facts that can be alarming for the careful listener. In a revelation to the prophet Joseph Smith about proclaiming the gospel, the Lord said, “And my vineyard has become corrupted every whit; and there is none which doeth good save it be a few; and they err in many instances because of priestcrafts, all having corrupt minds.” (Doctrine & Covenants 33:4)
The vineyard is the place where the Lord does his work, which is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children. He hopes and desires that each vine will bear desirable fruit. It sounds devastating for the Lord of the vineyard to visit his place of work and find that it has become completely corrupted. Fortunately, the Lord is never surprised. He knows the end from the beginning, and He knows how to warn us. He knows how to do His work and save His children, as long as we choose to heed the warnings stamped in the scriptures.
It doesn’t take much for a container of my favorite fruit to be corrupted. A package of raspberries may look quite the same at a distance when mold has already begun to grow. Only a careful look will reveal the light, white, and fuzzy texture beginning to appear. This is usually the first indicator. Everything else will appear the same. The fruit may look whole. The color will be just as rich and deep, and the juices will still taste fresh. Only the miniscule presence of something so anonymous as the delicate ingredient of mold gives any kind of warning that corruption has already begun. Nothing has changed except the presence of early corruption.
When the Lord says that His vineyard has become corrupted, every whit, there isn’t much room for exception. This suggests that I especially am not an exception (which is my favorite way to read the scriptures.) The part about none doing good, save it be a few, suggests to me that among all those who are corrupted, the pure in heart are small in number. Yes, there is good everywhere, but self-justification to gratify our own pleasures is also widespread. The Lord said that even those few who are good err because of priestcrafts. Like the raspberries, everything else may still look good, even when corruption is present.
While the act of corrupting may mean destroying the integrity and morality of someone or something, corrupt can also simply mean alter, mar, or taint. It is when the initial corruption, or presence of some foreign defect, merely appears that corruption begins to take place. Then, when we accept and even ignore this presence, the more severe corruption begins to become permanent. That’s when the mold gets ugly and the flavor changes.
The prophet Moroni gave a similar warning to the Lord’s for those who would live in the last days before the second coming of the Savior. Near the end of his life, he said, “Behold, the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things concerning that which must shortly come, at that day when these things shall come forth among you. Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.” (Mormon 8:34-35) Moroni then states that we walk in the pride of our own hearts. There are none but a few who do not. He then says that we love our money, our possessions and the appearance of our churches more than we love the poor. Ouch. That one hurts.
Moroni also describes this as a time where there will be great pollutions on the earth. Important as it may be in considering our stewardships over the earth, I don’t think he is talking about air quality and carbon footprints. Instead he then lists pollutions such as murder, theft, dishonesty, immorality, and other abominations. He also describes the attitude that exclaims, “it mattereth not.” I think it does.
I have often reflected on this passage because Moroni seems to be speaking to “you” and I, rather than “other people” who may never read the book. There is often a tendency to think that because I have a firm belief that the book is true, Moroni must be talking about someone else, that is unless I don’t believe in making exceptions.
I may not be a liar, a murderer, or an adulterer, but I can ask myself some probing questions to see how these passages of scripture apply. If the vineyard is corrupted every whit, and there are great pollutions all around, is my inheritance the only thing that is in danger of being corrupted? What about my present decisions? Am I still at a critical point where my fruit is good but I am surrounded by light and fluffy mold that is becoming more and more pervasive? If I am, how do I know? To answer these questions, I need to take a closer look at my life and do some self-examining, regardless of how far away the expiration date may be.
The prophet Nephi gave an excellent definition of what priestcrafts are in his writings within the Book of Mormon. Speaking of the Lord’s teachings, he said, “He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.” (2 Nephi 26:29) When our own opinions become more important than the will of God, we are in danger. When the examples we set for others begin to lead them away from the truth rather than toward it, we set ourselves up as a light to the world. If we justify and rationalize our actions instead of acknowledging our errors, so that we can have pleasure and personal gain, we are at the heart of this warning. At that point we are no longer just surrounded by priestcraft, we are active practitioners.
One does not have to imitate the priesthood to practice priestcraft. Ceremony and ritual are not required. In order to qualify, one only has to provide an alternate plan to Father’s plan of happiness for His children. While I may not practice priestcraft, I think these passages of scripture still apply to me because of what the Lord himself said about those who are good, that “they err in many instances because of priestcrafts, all having corrupt minds.” Even if I am not rationalizing or justifying sin, I am curious to know how these pervasive influences are affecting my mind, causing me to err.
At the heart of the messages given to us by the Lord, Moroni, and Nephi is a clear dichotomy between pride and charity. If I wish to know where I stand before God, I should measure my pride. The scriptures provide adequate warnings against pride and the reoccurring pride cycle. If we examine them, and seek to apply them, we can see how we measure up to priestcrafts by first seeing how we measure up to the word of God. There is no clear standard for corruption unless we first understand what it is to be pure.
Nephi continues, “Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.” (2 Nephi 26:30)
Similarly, Moroni recorded the teachings of his Father, Mormon, when he said, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love….” (Moroni 7:48)
Because there are some clear models and warnings in the scriptures, we can judge where we are in society. Pride is at the heart of the pollutions. Pride leads to vanity and vain ambition, which are the seeds of lust. Secret combinations seek to destroy society and pull it down. These things may not have entered into our hearts, but they may begin to appear lightly around us, just as mold appears softly and quietly, almost hard to discern.
So, the bad news is that we are living in the time foretold by Moroni where we are surrounded by pollutions. We live in a time, as told by the Lord, that the vineyard is entirely corrupt, and all of us have corrupted minds – we are surrounded by harmful things that will even taint the decisions made by good people, causing them to err. We are surrounded by priestcrafts and the philosophies of men that can lead us away from God if we don’t heed His counsel. Our proximity to pride and vanity is so close that we may not see it for what it is. If the growth of this mold is gradual, we may even accept it as the norm. The best way to prevent it is to look for it.
The good news is that there is an antidote. It is possible to resist the corruption that surrounds us. Prophesies have been foretold of the restoration of all things in the fullness of times. This is an expiration date worth looking forward to – a time when wickedness will expire and give way to millennial rest. Rather than being consumed with pride, the pure in heart will be filled with charity. They will pray earnestly for this gift. The love of Christ, and a love for Christ, will help us to be anxiously engaged in causes for good. There is no greater cause than the cause of Zion, which seeks not to tear down society, but to build it.
We can protect ourselves against selfishness and pride by seeking the gift which seeketh not her own, even the gift of charity. We can protect against pollutions and corruption by seeking the pure in heart and the cause of Zion. We can watch for subtle and anonymous mold by starting with our own hearts. As long as we are not complacent and ignorant that there are pollutions all around, we can find greater peace in protecting the fruits of our faith against corruption and error. All the Lord requires is an honest heart that is willing to give up and forsake the pollution.
“Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits are contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice – yea, every sacrifice which I the Lord, shall command – they are accepted of me. For I, the Lord, will cause them to bring forth as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit.” (Doctrine & Covenants 97:8-9)
If all have corrupt minds, perhaps this indicates that we are being affected by unhealthy influences rather than being ruined or devastated. If we have desires to serve God and keep His commandments, then maybe the corruption refers to the slow growing ideas that seem pleasing at first, but will soon alter the flavor of our lives and cause them to deteriorate.
Rather than pretend that I am immune to mold, I can choose to look for the first signs of pride that attempt to taint my heart. I can watch for selfish motives that lead me away from the teachings of the Savior. I can pray for help to see the influences in my life that really aren’t healthy but have been there so long that I don’t notice them. When I discover parts that have spoiled, I may have to cut them out. If this is the cost of acceptance, I would rather have fruit that is worthy of eternal life than let all of my favorite fruit spoil. There are few things that compare with the untainted flavor of my favorite fruit. Nothing compares with the unspoiled taste of eternal life. The hope of maintaining this fruit is worth the effort to remove any corrupting influences that can taint my heart.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Showing posts with label Charity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charity. Show all posts
Monday, November 15, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
How Long Shall I Suffer?
Mormon’s admonition to pray for charity with all energy of heart has been on my mind a lot lately. He understood a principle I feel I am just beginning to understand. While there are many good things we can do in life, there is only one way to return to our Father’s presence, and that is through His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. As we live the way He lived, as we choose to do what He did, we become like Him. We become pure.
The gift of charity, or the pure love of Christ, is described as the greatest of all the gifts of God. It is the gift that will lead us to eternal life. While this gift cannot be purchased with money or be received by giving our excess to a charitable organization, the gift comes with a heavy price. The amount is the cost of a single heart offered to the Lord – mine.
The prophet Mormon described this cost to his people. “And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (Moroni 7:45)
In the scriptures the word, “suffer,” has two meanings that are related but different. One meaning is to endure pain, distress, loss, separation, or even death. King Benjamin described the suffering that Jesus would endure for our sakes in similar terms. “And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.” (Mosiah 3:7)
This type of suffering describes all experiences that are difficult and unpleasant. It is usually associated with pain that is either physical, or emotional. Some pain that we feel may only be temporary and fleeting. Pain can also be severe enough that it causes damage and leaves a mark. I find great comfort knowing the atoning sacrifice Jesus made for all mankind will take away our pain and heal our marks. He has made it possible to find hope.
The second meaning of the word, “suffer,” can be found in the New Testament. As a group of people brought their children to be blessed by Jesus, His disciples rebuked them. Jesus’ reply to His disciples was, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:14) The account of this story does not describe the experience of having young children come to Him as difficult or unpleasant. In fact, it was something that Jesus wanted. In this context the word, “suffer,” means to allow or permit.
As I consider these two meanings in relation to the cost of charity, I am left wondering how they relate. Suffering alone does not equate to love. Merely allowing unpleasant things does not guarantee us greater love, either. However, if I take both meanings and I add them to a common purpose, I get a different result. If I am willing to endure difficult trials and allow Father to direct my life because I trust Him, it may not be pleasant, but in the larger picture I can count on Him to make my life better. When I do hard things out of love, my love increases and my capacity to love increases.
Suffering can often teach us lessons we wouldn’t learn any other way. Paul in his letter to the Hebrews describes the prophet Melchizedek who offered “strong crying and tears” with his prayers that God would save him from death. Little more is known about his experience except that he learned “obedience by the things which he suffered.” (Hebrews 5:6-8) Melchizedek was a man of great faith, but that too came with a cost.
At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus went into the wilderness to pray. “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights and had communed with God, he was afterward an hungered and was left to be tempted of the devil.” (JST Matthew 4:2) I find it interesting that Jesus was doing something good and was rewarded with a trial. That is how it may look from the first appearance, anyway. Instead, consider that Jesus went into the wilderness to submit to the Father. He wasn’t looking for a reward. He was there to worship. Because His vision was clear in spite of His lack of strength, He was true to the Father and chose not to worship the deceiver.
Sometimes, the only way we learn the lessons Father wants us to is through difficult experiences. Joseph Smith taught that Jesus “suffered temptations but gave no heed unto them.” (Doctrine & Covenants 20:22) He lived a perfect life, but He still suffered and learned grace to grace.
King Benjamin also prophesied of the suffering that Jesus would endure. He said that Jesus would subject Himself to the Father, and that He “suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people. … Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father. (Mosiah 15:5-8) This passage includes both definitions of the word “suffer.” Jesus suffered, and He allowed Himself to suffer, that He might gain victory over sin and death.
At a time in his life when it appeared that he could suffer no more, Joseph Smith prayed to the Father for himself and for his people, “O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed…? let thine heart be softened, and thy bowels moved with compassion toward us.” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:1-2, 4)
The Lord’s reply was merciful. “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands. Thou art not yet as Job….” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:7-10) The Lord continues, “If thou art called to pass through tribulation;” and he lists a number of examples of suffering, “if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? Therefore, hold on thy way… for God shall be with you forever and ever. (Doctrine & Covenants 122:5, 7-9)
Poor Joseph. In his darkest moment, he had not yet endured as Job. He had not suffered like the Lord of all. But he did have a reason to hope. God did not abandon Job, but blessed him with increase. The Lord “gave Job twice as much as he had before,” and “blessed the latter end of [his life] more than his beginning.” (Job 42:10, 12) God did not abandon His Only Begotten Son, either. After Jesus knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” I love this example because Jesus prayed out of the honesty of His heart. He told Father what he wanted, but then clarified that He would submit to the Father’s will. He suffered. Then, “there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and he sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:42-44, JST Luke 22:44)
The Lord told Joseph Smith, “I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit – and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink – Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.” (Doctrine & Covenants 19:16-19)
Knowing that someone else knows what you are going through can be a great comfort. Knowing that Jesus has done something for us so that we wouldn’t have to is a tremendous gift! Knowing that even He had a hard time and didn’t want to do it makes His experience that much more personal to me. Believing that God does not lie and He does not change gives me hope that He will help me and save me in my desperation, too. Faith will get me started in the right direction, and hope will provide motivation when things get difficult. But, it is charity, the pure love of God, that will see me through to the end when my trials seem unbearable.
As I compare the many tears I shed in my own suffering with the blood that was shed in my behalf by the Savior, I am tempted to feel small and ashamed that I am so weak and vulnerable. The thing that saves me from greater self-pity and despair is that Jesus does not ask me to do what He did. I don’t have to suffer the way He did. I just need to live the way He wants me to, and that will be enough. I am not as strong as He is, but together we can do anything. I am not perfect like He is, but I am trying. I am not required to be perfect in my weakness. If I want to be like Jesus, I am required to turn to Him in faith when I am having a hard time. As I turn to him, then I can suffer the difficult lessons. I can allow Father to take the time He needs to make me better. I find I can do more and more through practice and prayer, as long as I have hope.
In the midst of that dark moment for Joseph Smith, the Lord gave him some instruction that was also meant to give him hope. And here we come back to the idea that I started with – charity. “Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:45-46) This strength all starts with charity, which never faileth.
Whether it is charity that helps me in suffering, or that I gain more charity through the right kind of suffering, I don’t know for sure. But if I am willing to endure, and allow difficult lessons to shape who I am because I am seeking charity, at least I know that I am moving in the right direction. Little by little, and grace for grace, my heart becomes purer and I become a little more ready to meet my Savior. Each time that my suffering increases, I turn to Father in prayer. And, like Joseph, Melchizedek, and the Savior, Father will hear and answer our prayers. He will send angels to comfort us and buoy us up. I know Father will bless us with that which we seek if we pray for charity with all the energy of heart.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
The gift of charity, or the pure love of Christ, is described as the greatest of all the gifts of God. It is the gift that will lead us to eternal life. While this gift cannot be purchased with money or be received by giving our excess to a charitable organization, the gift comes with a heavy price. The amount is the cost of a single heart offered to the Lord – mine.
The prophet Mormon described this cost to his people. “And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (Moroni 7:45)
In the scriptures the word, “suffer,” has two meanings that are related but different. One meaning is to endure pain, distress, loss, separation, or even death. King Benjamin described the suffering that Jesus would endure for our sakes in similar terms. “And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people.” (Mosiah 3:7)
This type of suffering describes all experiences that are difficult and unpleasant. It is usually associated with pain that is either physical, or emotional. Some pain that we feel may only be temporary and fleeting. Pain can also be severe enough that it causes damage and leaves a mark. I find great comfort knowing the atoning sacrifice Jesus made for all mankind will take away our pain and heal our marks. He has made it possible to find hope.
The second meaning of the word, “suffer,” can be found in the New Testament. As a group of people brought their children to be blessed by Jesus, His disciples rebuked them. Jesus’ reply to His disciples was, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” (Mark 10:14) The account of this story does not describe the experience of having young children come to Him as difficult or unpleasant. In fact, it was something that Jesus wanted. In this context the word, “suffer,” means to allow or permit.
As I consider these two meanings in relation to the cost of charity, I am left wondering how they relate. Suffering alone does not equate to love. Merely allowing unpleasant things does not guarantee us greater love, either. However, if I take both meanings and I add them to a common purpose, I get a different result. If I am willing to endure difficult trials and allow Father to direct my life because I trust Him, it may not be pleasant, but in the larger picture I can count on Him to make my life better. When I do hard things out of love, my love increases and my capacity to love increases.
Suffering can often teach us lessons we wouldn’t learn any other way. Paul in his letter to the Hebrews describes the prophet Melchizedek who offered “strong crying and tears” with his prayers that God would save him from death. Little more is known about his experience except that he learned “obedience by the things which he suffered.” (Hebrews 5:6-8) Melchizedek was a man of great faith, but that too came with a cost.
At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus went into the wilderness to pray. “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights and had communed with God, he was afterward an hungered and was left to be tempted of the devil.” (JST Matthew 4:2) I find it interesting that Jesus was doing something good and was rewarded with a trial. That is how it may look from the first appearance, anyway. Instead, consider that Jesus went into the wilderness to submit to the Father. He wasn’t looking for a reward. He was there to worship. Because His vision was clear in spite of His lack of strength, He was true to the Father and chose not to worship the deceiver.
Sometimes, the only way we learn the lessons Father wants us to is through difficult experiences. Joseph Smith taught that Jesus “suffered temptations but gave no heed unto them.” (Doctrine & Covenants 20:22) He lived a perfect life, but He still suffered and learned grace to grace.
King Benjamin also prophesied of the suffering that Jesus would endure. He said that Jesus would subject Himself to the Father, and that He “suffereth temptation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and disowned by his people. … Yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father. (Mosiah 15:5-8) This passage includes both definitions of the word “suffer.” Jesus suffered, and He allowed Himself to suffer, that He might gain victory over sin and death.
At a time in his life when it appeared that he could suffer no more, Joseph Smith prayed to the Father for himself and for his people, “O God, where art thou? And where is the pavilion that covereth thy hiding place? How long shall thy hand be stayed…? let thine heart be softened, and thy bowels moved with compassion toward us.” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:1-2, 4)
The Lord’s reply was merciful. “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes. Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands. Thou art not yet as Job….” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:7-10) The Lord continues, “If thou art called to pass through tribulation;” and he lists a number of examples of suffering, “if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he? Therefore, hold on thy way… for God shall be with you forever and ever. (Doctrine & Covenants 122:5, 7-9)
Poor Joseph. In his darkest moment, he had not yet endured as Job. He had not suffered like the Lord of all. But he did have a reason to hope. God did not abandon Job, but blessed him with increase. The Lord “gave Job twice as much as he had before,” and “blessed the latter end of [his life] more than his beginning.” (Job 42:10, 12) God did not abandon His Only Begotten Son, either. After Jesus knelt in the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” I love this example because Jesus prayed out of the honesty of His heart. He told Father what he wanted, but then clarified that He would submit to the Father’s will. He suffered. Then, “there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly: and he sweat as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:42-44, JST Luke 22:44)
The Lord told Joseph Smith, “I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit – and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink – Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.” (Doctrine & Covenants 19:16-19)
Knowing that someone else knows what you are going through can be a great comfort. Knowing that Jesus has done something for us so that we wouldn’t have to is a tremendous gift! Knowing that even He had a hard time and didn’t want to do it makes His experience that much more personal to me. Believing that God does not lie and He does not change gives me hope that He will help me and save me in my desperation, too. Faith will get me started in the right direction, and hope will provide motivation when things get difficult. But, it is charity, the pure love of God, that will see me through to the end when my trials seem unbearable.
As I compare the many tears I shed in my own suffering with the blood that was shed in my behalf by the Savior, I am tempted to feel small and ashamed that I am so weak and vulnerable. The thing that saves me from greater self-pity and despair is that Jesus does not ask me to do what He did. I don’t have to suffer the way He did. I just need to live the way He wants me to, and that will be enough. I am not as strong as He is, but together we can do anything. I am not perfect like He is, but I am trying. I am not required to be perfect in my weakness. If I want to be like Jesus, I am required to turn to Him in faith when I am having a hard time. As I turn to him, then I can suffer the difficult lessons. I can allow Father to take the time He needs to make me better. I find I can do more and more through practice and prayer, as long as I have hope.
In the midst of that dark moment for Joseph Smith, the Lord gave him some instruction that was also meant to give him hope. And here we come back to the idea that I started with – charity. “Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distill upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:45-46) This strength all starts with charity, which never faileth.
Whether it is charity that helps me in suffering, or that I gain more charity through the right kind of suffering, I don’t know for sure. But if I am willing to endure, and allow difficult lessons to shape who I am because I am seeking charity, at least I know that I am moving in the right direction. Little by little, and grace for grace, my heart becomes purer and I become a little more ready to meet my Savior. Each time that my suffering increases, I turn to Father in prayer. And, like Joseph, Melchizedek, and the Savior, Father will hear and answer our prayers. He will send angels to comfort us and buoy us up. I know Father will bless us with that which we seek if we pray for charity with all the energy of heart.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Weak and Worthy of Perfection
I sat anxiously across from the owner of the company. He was positioned behind the desk in his office, accompanied with books and files and drawings. His appearance was very professional. I was intimidated. The principal owner had lots of experience while I had nothing but my willingness to offer; no experience, no skill or ability. I was just eager. My eyes were on him, and his eyes were on my résumé.
After perusing my small offering of ability, the owner asked me a number of questions. I don’t recall any of them now. I only remember the urgent need to find a job. My fiancé had recently accepted my proposal of marriage, but I had very little to offer her, only my willingness. Similar to the lyrics by Paul Simon, “I was as empty as a pocket with [everything] to lose.” My position was pretty weak. Fortunately, Liz had a lot of faith in me, and the interview was just enough.
The owner hired me. Deep sigh of relief. He took my weak position and limited ability, and he gave me a chance. It was an opportunity to show how I would perform for a short period of time. He made it clear that I would be on probation to see if the arrangement would be a good fit. I was grateful but still nervous. So much depended on landing and keeping my first real job. Everything hinged on my willingness to follow directions.
Some of my first assignments were pretty basic. I was the go-to person for tasks that didn’t require any experience. These tasks included sweeping the backroom, running deposits to the bank, and picking up lint off the floor. I was asked to keep the fax machine loaded with paper. I had heard of fax machines, but didn’t have a clue about how to use one, let alone keep it stocked. There were a few frustrating moments that required others to have patience with me as they taught me how to do small tasks. My job description matched my ability, but at least it was a start.
I felt very tenuous the next couple of months as I performed my duties, always wondering where I stood with my employer. Would he keep me? Was he satisfied? Did I meet his expectations? When he didn’t talk to me, did that mean that he was unhappy with me? I went home every night with some worry that I might be looking for another job soon. Again, fortunately for me, Liz and my employer had faith in my ability, and it was just enough.
As I started my follow-up interview, I was almost certain my employer was unhappy with my performance. I doubted myself and I let fear govern my thoughts. I contemplated the worst case scenarios and what I would do next. Contrary to my fears, the principal of the company reviewed my progress with me and thanked me for my work. He then asked me to continue with the firm. In an instant, my confidence was renewed and hope was restored. I could hardly wait to tell my fiancé that things were going to work out. So much of my attitude depended on that single validation.
Now that I, myself, am a principal in an architecture and planning firm, it is wonderful and gratifying to see how far I have come. I started at the bottom, and I continue to grow. There are many areas of experience I wish to develop, but they will take time, patience, and practice. While I am confident in my abilities to provide professional services, I am also glad I do not see a ceiling to my growth. There is plenty of room.
My current successes sometimes block out the memories of inadequacy I once felt, but they do not negate how real they were. I was quite worried. My fears were unfounded and without validation from my employer, but they were constant until I had some assurance. This memory reminds me of another experience I frequently have with inadequacy. However, my chair has moved to the other side of the desk.
On a regular basis, my responsibility in the church I attend allows me to meet with individuals who are preparing to worship in a Holy Temple. Part of their preparation involves an interview in which I ask them some questions about their worthiness to enter the Temple. The questions are simple and focus on their faith and ability to live a life patterned after the Savior Jesus Christ. The last question tends to generate some feelings of inadequacy in many instances, yet it is very important. “Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord’s house and participate in temple ordinances?” Most of the questions I ask have short and confident answers. This last question often generates some discussion.
What does it mean to be worthy? Worthiness is not to be confused with perfection or holiness. Instead, worthiness represents adequate merit, worth, or value. It does not imply “arriving at the top.” The word should suggest our pursuit of that goal, and not the destination. The key word for me is “adequate,” meaning just enough. If I am required to have adequate faith, I do not need to have perfect faith. In fact, faith the size of a grain of mustard seed is adequate as long as my actions are “just enough.” I will still pursue this endeavor of increasing my faith, but it is not the measure of my worthiness.
Feelings of worthiness are often hampered by feelings of inadequacy. When we feel deficient or fall short of someone else’s expectations, we often feel that we lack worth or validity. We doubt ourselves without reassurance and a measure of validation. When we begin to lose confidence and question our worth, it is much easier to focus on our weaknesses. These are the moments where I feel that “weak” and “worthy” are at opposing sides of the desk, one scrutinizing and the other being scrutinized. However, I do not feel that this is always necessary.
Weaknesses, though not fun to admit to or deal with, can be a great blessing to the eager disciple of the Savior Jesus Christ. They become a gift when we see them for what they are. Yet again we find another application of our faith. I do not believe it is possible to have this clear of vision without faith in the only person who ever lived a perfect life in mortality. Believing in Jesus is believing that what He said is true, and that the words of His servants are also true.
Frustrated with his own ability to write, the prophet Moroni pled with the Lord over his weaknesses. The Lord responded, “if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” (Ether 12:27)
I can’t say that I like to admit that my weaknesses are a gift from God. To do so admits a responsibility and a stewardship. It is much easier to pray that our weaknesses are removed than to pray for strength to deal with them and master them. Once I begin to see with an eye of faith, however, the personal growth I have been hoping for is met with greater success. These accomplishments are items that are good to include on a spiritual résumé.
The Apostle Paul, in his second letter to church members in Corinth, described how the Lord had given him “a thorn in the flesh” to keep him humble. Three times Paul asked the Lord to remove this trial. The Lord’s response was, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul then states, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. …for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
It wasn’t until after Paul heard the Lord’s explanation that he took pleasure in trials and afflictions. I don’t know that the experience became any more pleasurable than before, but Paul had faith that the Lord would lead him and make him stronger. I think some of the strength that I admire in Paul, is not just his ability to endure trials, but in his choice to submit willingly. The beauty of what the Lord told Moroni is that He will supply us with this strength when we humble ourselves before Him and have faith in him. Thus, the hardest part to admitting our weaknesses is not to find strength, but in deciding to have faith. Once we do, the Lord will provide the grace, the strength, and the witness that we desire. But it is only after we turn to Him and allow our faith to be tested.
Moroni further compares this type of faith with that of the brother of Jared’s. It is the ability to see with an “eye of faith,” or to receive a witness and see the things that we first believed. (Ether 12:19) This is another key to rending the veil of unbelief, to believe without seeing. When we begin to see our weaknesses for what they are, as gifts from God, we are entitled to His promise, “And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father.” (Ether 12:37) It isn’t just seeing our weakness, but seeing it with an eye of faith that merits the promise.
If we wish to have the faith of the brother of Jared, the conversion of Peter, and the strength of Paul, it all starts with the faith to become. Not only do we become converted, we become worthy. It is our faith the Lord wants, stored up in our hearts. If we are willing to offer this gift, it is enough. It is adequate. Then His grace will cover our debts, our sins, and our transgressions. Both Paul and Moroni stated that His grace is “sufficient” to save us when we have faith. I find it interesting that the word sufficient also means enough.
It is one thing to worry about being worthy to enter the Lord’s house and worship Him in the Holy Temple. It is another to wonder if I am worthy to enter the presence of God and live with Him again in heaven. I do not believe it insignificant that the Holy Temple is the house of God, or the place where God dwells. Whether it is His dwelling here on earth or our home in heaven to which we hope to return, we should be diligent in doing enough to be worthy of both. This would suggest that a worthiness to enter the Lord’s house would equate to worthiness to return to His presence. I believe this to be true with one additional validation – the key to truly being worthy.
The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that, “It is impossible for man to be saved in ignorance.” (Doctrine & Covenants 131:6) It is God’s will that we know where we stand before Him. To this end He gives His children the Gift of the Holy Ghost. As the Lord taught Adam, “by the Spirit ye are justified….” (Moses 6:60) The Holy Ghost will not only confirm the validity of truth, He will confirm to us that what we are doing is either right or wrong. He will bear witness to our spirits and let us know when our path is pleasing to God. In this way, when we feel the presence and influence of the Holy Spirit near to us, we may with confidence know that our will is aligned with God’s.
Rather than feeling inadequate or worried about whether we are worthy to obtain the highest degree of heaven, we can ask the Lord where we stand and receive His own validation. In a revelation on the Holy Priesthood, the Lord further taught Joseph Smith an important key. He said, “Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:45)
With charity, the pure love of Christ, and virtue, which is a conformity to righteous principles, we can stand confident in the presence of God. This confidence isn’t because we become anything of ourselves, but because we are doing more and more of what God has asked us to do. The more we become obedient to God and focus outward on His children, the more confidence we can obtain. He is the source of true confidence. When we do what He has taught, there is no need to fear. When we put our trust in Him, He will see us through our trials. And then, “The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:46)
As we consider the commandment of the Savior to “be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect,” we are met with a paradox – we are to be humble but confident, weak and yet strong. The paradox becomes clearer when we remember how Father wants us to grow. He wants us to turn to Him and rely on Him for strength.
Without a focus on God and the assurance from the Holy Spirit that we are making good choices, worthiness could be measured by simply marking a checklist. It would then be too easy to be like others the Lord has warned against. “They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” (Joseph Smith–History 1:19)
When we put our trust in the Lord with an eye of faith, we do not have to be afraid of being weak. He will make us strong. When we become strong as we are doing only that which He has asked us to do, we need not fear being too confident, not if our confidence comes from Him. When we acknowledge that all powers, gifts, and blessings come from God, He will give us more which in turn will eliminate all our feelings of inadequacy. When we are willing to submit to His will, one choice at a time, it is just enough to get us moving in the right direction.
Feeling inadequate is an experience I would rather do without. Whether it is interviewing for a job, preparing to go to the temple, or preparing to go to our heavenly home, having the right assurance makes all the difference.
I felt a lot of anxiety over my first job. I wanted to know if my work was acceptable. I hoped I was going in the right direction. Most of all, I wanted to know that I was going to make it. Now, more than wanting to keep a job, I want to be faithful in keeping the Holy Spirit as my constant companion. So much of eternity depends on keeping our second estate here on earth. Everything hinges on our willingness to follow directions during our mortal probation.
Perfection is a lofty goal, but it can be obtained, at least eventually. I don’t have to feel inadequate because I am not there yet. I can still be worthy of God’s promised blessings. With an eye of faith, and an ability to see our weaknesses for what they are, we can be worthy without being perfect. In this way, we become worthy of perfection. We do this in spite of our weaknesses, and often with them. God is willing to take our weak position and limited ability and give us a chance to work for Him in His kingdom. When He validates our worthiness by the presence of His Holy Spirit, we have nothing to fear.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
After perusing my small offering of ability, the owner asked me a number of questions. I don’t recall any of them now. I only remember the urgent need to find a job. My fiancé had recently accepted my proposal of marriage, but I had very little to offer her, only my willingness. Similar to the lyrics by Paul Simon, “I was as empty as a pocket with [everything] to lose.” My position was pretty weak. Fortunately, Liz had a lot of faith in me, and the interview was just enough.
The owner hired me. Deep sigh of relief. He took my weak position and limited ability, and he gave me a chance. It was an opportunity to show how I would perform for a short period of time. He made it clear that I would be on probation to see if the arrangement would be a good fit. I was grateful but still nervous. So much depended on landing and keeping my first real job. Everything hinged on my willingness to follow directions.
Some of my first assignments were pretty basic. I was the go-to person for tasks that didn’t require any experience. These tasks included sweeping the backroom, running deposits to the bank, and picking up lint off the floor. I was asked to keep the fax machine loaded with paper. I had heard of fax machines, but didn’t have a clue about how to use one, let alone keep it stocked. There were a few frustrating moments that required others to have patience with me as they taught me how to do small tasks. My job description matched my ability, but at least it was a start.
I felt very tenuous the next couple of months as I performed my duties, always wondering where I stood with my employer. Would he keep me? Was he satisfied? Did I meet his expectations? When he didn’t talk to me, did that mean that he was unhappy with me? I went home every night with some worry that I might be looking for another job soon. Again, fortunately for me, Liz and my employer had faith in my ability, and it was just enough.
As I started my follow-up interview, I was almost certain my employer was unhappy with my performance. I doubted myself and I let fear govern my thoughts. I contemplated the worst case scenarios and what I would do next. Contrary to my fears, the principal of the company reviewed my progress with me and thanked me for my work. He then asked me to continue with the firm. In an instant, my confidence was renewed and hope was restored. I could hardly wait to tell my fiancé that things were going to work out. So much of my attitude depended on that single validation.
Now that I, myself, am a principal in an architecture and planning firm, it is wonderful and gratifying to see how far I have come. I started at the bottom, and I continue to grow. There are many areas of experience I wish to develop, but they will take time, patience, and practice. While I am confident in my abilities to provide professional services, I am also glad I do not see a ceiling to my growth. There is plenty of room.
My current successes sometimes block out the memories of inadequacy I once felt, but they do not negate how real they were. I was quite worried. My fears were unfounded and without validation from my employer, but they were constant until I had some assurance. This memory reminds me of another experience I frequently have with inadequacy. However, my chair has moved to the other side of the desk.
On a regular basis, my responsibility in the church I attend allows me to meet with individuals who are preparing to worship in a Holy Temple. Part of their preparation involves an interview in which I ask them some questions about their worthiness to enter the Temple. The questions are simple and focus on their faith and ability to live a life patterned after the Savior Jesus Christ. The last question tends to generate some feelings of inadequacy in many instances, yet it is very important. “Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord’s house and participate in temple ordinances?” Most of the questions I ask have short and confident answers. This last question often generates some discussion.
What does it mean to be worthy? Worthiness is not to be confused with perfection or holiness. Instead, worthiness represents adequate merit, worth, or value. It does not imply “arriving at the top.” The word should suggest our pursuit of that goal, and not the destination. The key word for me is “adequate,” meaning just enough. If I am required to have adequate faith, I do not need to have perfect faith. In fact, faith the size of a grain of mustard seed is adequate as long as my actions are “just enough.” I will still pursue this endeavor of increasing my faith, but it is not the measure of my worthiness.
Feelings of worthiness are often hampered by feelings of inadequacy. When we feel deficient or fall short of someone else’s expectations, we often feel that we lack worth or validity. We doubt ourselves without reassurance and a measure of validation. When we begin to lose confidence and question our worth, it is much easier to focus on our weaknesses. These are the moments where I feel that “weak” and “worthy” are at opposing sides of the desk, one scrutinizing and the other being scrutinized. However, I do not feel that this is always necessary.
Weaknesses, though not fun to admit to or deal with, can be a great blessing to the eager disciple of the Savior Jesus Christ. They become a gift when we see them for what they are. Yet again we find another application of our faith. I do not believe it is possible to have this clear of vision without faith in the only person who ever lived a perfect life in mortality. Believing in Jesus is believing that what He said is true, and that the words of His servants are also true.
Frustrated with his own ability to write, the prophet Moroni pled with the Lord over his weaknesses. The Lord responded, “if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.” (Ether 12:27)
I can’t say that I like to admit that my weaknesses are a gift from God. To do so admits a responsibility and a stewardship. It is much easier to pray that our weaknesses are removed than to pray for strength to deal with them and master them. Once I begin to see with an eye of faith, however, the personal growth I have been hoping for is met with greater success. These accomplishments are items that are good to include on a spiritual résumé.
The Apostle Paul, in his second letter to church members in Corinth, described how the Lord had given him “a thorn in the flesh” to keep him humble. Three times Paul asked the Lord to remove this trial. The Lord’s response was, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul then states, “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. …for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
It wasn’t until after Paul heard the Lord’s explanation that he took pleasure in trials and afflictions. I don’t know that the experience became any more pleasurable than before, but Paul had faith that the Lord would lead him and make him stronger. I think some of the strength that I admire in Paul, is not just his ability to endure trials, but in his choice to submit willingly. The beauty of what the Lord told Moroni is that He will supply us with this strength when we humble ourselves before Him and have faith in him. Thus, the hardest part to admitting our weaknesses is not to find strength, but in deciding to have faith. Once we do, the Lord will provide the grace, the strength, and the witness that we desire. But it is only after we turn to Him and allow our faith to be tested.
Moroni further compares this type of faith with that of the brother of Jared’s. It is the ability to see with an “eye of faith,” or to receive a witness and see the things that we first believed. (Ether 12:19) This is another key to rending the veil of unbelief, to believe without seeing. When we begin to see our weaknesses for what they are, as gifts from God, we are entitled to His promise, “And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father.” (Ether 12:37) It isn’t just seeing our weakness, but seeing it with an eye of faith that merits the promise.
If we wish to have the faith of the brother of Jared, the conversion of Peter, and the strength of Paul, it all starts with the faith to become. Not only do we become converted, we become worthy. It is our faith the Lord wants, stored up in our hearts. If we are willing to offer this gift, it is enough. It is adequate. Then His grace will cover our debts, our sins, and our transgressions. Both Paul and Moroni stated that His grace is “sufficient” to save us when we have faith. I find it interesting that the word sufficient also means enough.
It is one thing to worry about being worthy to enter the Lord’s house and worship Him in the Holy Temple. It is another to wonder if I am worthy to enter the presence of God and live with Him again in heaven. I do not believe it insignificant that the Holy Temple is the house of God, or the place where God dwells. Whether it is His dwelling here on earth or our home in heaven to which we hope to return, we should be diligent in doing enough to be worthy of both. This would suggest that a worthiness to enter the Lord’s house would equate to worthiness to return to His presence. I believe this to be true with one additional validation – the key to truly being worthy.
The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that, “It is impossible for man to be saved in ignorance.” (Doctrine & Covenants 131:6) It is God’s will that we know where we stand before Him. To this end He gives His children the Gift of the Holy Ghost. As the Lord taught Adam, “by the Spirit ye are justified….” (Moses 6:60) The Holy Ghost will not only confirm the validity of truth, He will confirm to us that what we are doing is either right or wrong. He will bear witness to our spirits and let us know when our path is pleasing to God. In this way, when we feel the presence and influence of the Holy Spirit near to us, we may with confidence know that our will is aligned with God’s.
Rather than feeling inadequate or worried about whether we are worthy to obtain the highest degree of heaven, we can ask the Lord where we stand and receive His own validation. In a revelation on the Holy Priesthood, the Lord further taught Joseph Smith an important key. He said, “Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:45)
With charity, the pure love of Christ, and virtue, which is a conformity to righteous principles, we can stand confident in the presence of God. This confidence isn’t because we become anything of ourselves, but because we are doing more and more of what God has asked us to do. The more we become obedient to God and focus outward on His children, the more confidence we can obtain. He is the source of true confidence. When we do what He has taught, there is no need to fear. When we put our trust in Him, He will see us through our trials. And then, “The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:46)
As we consider the commandment of the Savior to “be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect,” we are met with a paradox – we are to be humble but confident, weak and yet strong. The paradox becomes clearer when we remember how Father wants us to grow. He wants us to turn to Him and rely on Him for strength.
Without a focus on God and the assurance from the Holy Spirit that we are making good choices, worthiness could be measured by simply marking a checklist. It would then be too easy to be like others the Lord has warned against. “They draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.” (Joseph Smith–History 1:19)
When we put our trust in the Lord with an eye of faith, we do not have to be afraid of being weak. He will make us strong. When we become strong as we are doing only that which He has asked us to do, we need not fear being too confident, not if our confidence comes from Him. When we acknowledge that all powers, gifts, and blessings come from God, He will give us more which in turn will eliminate all our feelings of inadequacy. When we are willing to submit to His will, one choice at a time, it is just enough to get us moving in the right direction.
Feeling inadequate is an experience I would rather do without. Whether it is interviewing for a job, preparing to go to the temple, or preparing to go to our heavenly home, having the right assurance makes all the difference.
I felt a lot of anxiety over my first job. I wanted to know if my work was acceptable. I hoped I was going in the right direction. Most of all, I wanted to know that I was going to make it. Now, more than wanting to keep a job, I want to be faithful in keeping the Holy Spirit as my constant companion. So much of eternity depends on keeping our second estate here on earth. Everything hinges on our willingness to follow directions during our mortal probation.
Perfection is a lofty goal, but it can be obtained, at least eventually. I don’t have to feel inadequate because I am not there yet. I can still be worthy of God’s promised blessings. With an eye of faith, and an ability to see our weaknesses for what they are, we can be worthy without being perfect. In this way, we become worthy of perfection. We do this in spite of our weaknesses, and often with them. God is willing to take our weak position and limited ability and give us a chance to work for Him in His kingdom. When He validates our worthiness by the presence of His Holy Spirit, we have nothing to fear.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Fear, Treasure, and Love
I love a good story. My current circumstances may not allow me to travel as much as I would like, but I have found a well crafted story can take me places I could never go to otherwise. Through books, movies, plays, histories, and even songs, I have been to other parts of the world. I have travelled in time, and I have met some amazing people. Whether they are actual or not is not as relevant. The power of a good story is the potential for me to consider things that I have not considered before. While a story may not be real, my application of ideas most certainly is.
As I place myself in the position of a fictitious character and consider how I would respond under a given set of circumstances, I wonder how my experience would compare with theirs. When the narrator of the story understands more than the main character, we often get insight and information that the character does not. More information makes it easier for us to make decisions, or so it seems. While the whole story is not revealed to the reader, it is easier, perhaps, to judge the character in the story unfairly. It may be easy to wish that you could give them some help because you have a clearer perspective. This may be similar to the way a devoted sports fan watching television will shout fruitless advice to a referee who can’t see very clearly. No matter how loud you shout, it may not change the outcome of the story.
Not all stories are told with clarity to the listener. When I am given a story problem to solve, and I have no more information than the main character, we are on equal ground, except for the fact that I am likely more comfortable and I can choose to ignore the problem when I am tired of reading. While I am engaged, however, very often the main character and I are both confused and perplexed. And yet, there is something that keeps me reading. There is something about the ingredients that holds my attention. The story is engaging and I can’t put it down.
Have you ever stopped to consider what makes a good story? Why is it that things which are unclear hold our attention so well? In the case of these questions, I think the power of fiction comes very close to the truth. For me, it’s in the relevance of the story.
The Savior Jesus Christ often taught in parables, or stories, that helped to emphasize a truth. During part of his ministry, “without a parable spake he not unto them.” (Mark 4:34) The examples of his stories were relevant but the meaning was veiled. Many were the times that he would share an example and would then have to explain what the story meant to his closest disciples because they did not understand. His response, “Know ye not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables?” (Mark 4:13)
When His disciples asked Jesus why He taught in parables, He said, “Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” (Matthew 13:11) To those who are willing to receive shall be given more. But to him that chooses not to receive, he will lose the understanding that he has. Jesus chose to teach this way because the learner could listen and choose whether or not to understand depending on his desires and willingness. The faithful disciple will stop to look for the meaning in the story and then apply it.
Whenever we experience a significant trial in our lives, it may seem as though we are living inside of a parable. The circumstances are relevant by default. They are given to us to act upon. The meaning of the experience may be veiled behind the circumstances, unless we choose to look to the Savior as His disciples did and ask for an interpretation. “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:9)
As I consider my own question, “What makes a good story?” I find that in many instances I like the story when there is some kind of conflict where the resolution is not clear at first. It is the mystery and the hope of resolution that make the problem worth solving. Usually I can relate to the main character because I can empathize with what they are going through. My experience may not match theirs even closely, but I can relate to their emotions and motivations. Most often I hope to get something out of my investment in the story – I hope to see a different approach to a familiar problem. I like that kind of application.
Most often our emotions are tied to our expectations. If our expectations are met, we feel positive emotions. When they are not, we are left with sadness, frustration, and disappointment. Whether it is a story that we are reading, or whether we are watching the circumstances in our own lives, it is helpful to understand both our emotions and our motivations, that is if you agree with my assessment of what makes a good story.
Ironically, it is the motivations that we enjoy watching in stories of others that make us the most uncomfortable in our own stories. We don’t mind conflict when we can sit in an “easy chair” and observe. But when we are on trial, the fire seems much hotter. It still makes for the best stories, and I like recounting the story a lot more after I know there is a happy ending.
For the purpose of illustration, think of the writings of Shakespeare which can be grouped into three classifications, namely histories, tragedies, and comedies. Histories look at the way a story unfolds based on actual events and choices. Tragedies tell a story about powerful motivations that often do not have a happy ending. And, simply put, you may say that comedies are stories about people where bad decisions turn out all right in the end. Each of us may have a variety of stories in our own lives that are a direct result of our choices.
The determining factor for me as to whether my life’s story has a happy ending or not will depend on my ability to attain my ultimate purpose in life – to return to the presence of God. If I am successful, many of my tragedies may turn out to be comedies after all. My assertion that a good story is composed of relevant motivations and good choices is critical if I want any control over my own outcome. I liked choose-your-own-adventure books when I was a kid, and that hasn’t changed. I still find great happiness knowing that I can choose my own ending in spite of the circumstances that are given to me to act upon. It all comes down to good choices.
So, if our motivations are so critical to our decisions, what is it that motivates us to make good choices? What motivates us to be obedient to God’s commandments? I believe there are three key motivations – fear, treasure, and love. Not much different than good literature, these are the makings of a good story.
Fear is a powerful master when we let it be. It provides motivation to obtain our desires when it seems there is no other way. Choosing to do something we don’t want to do may appear to be a better option than feeling the threat of negative consequences, especially when those consequences may be applied immediately. Fear operates best when there is present danger or risk. Often, but not always, there is a focus on now rather than later. What will I have to give up now if I don’t? What will happen to me if I choose not to? What if it doesn’t work out? Fear has less power when consequences are prolonged. Because it may be hard to tell whether a story is a tragedy or a comedy until the ending, I believe it is safe to say that fear is not the most powerful motivator, not when there is hope.
Treasure gives us something to hope for. When life isn’t as pleasant as we would like, we can always hope for something better. Positive rewards and consequences reinforce the idea that good things happen to people who make good choices. The nature of hope takes the focus off of now and stretches it further and further ahead, usually in the form of some blessing or reward. The more we look forward to such blessings, the more we treasure them. We keep them close to our hearts. In fact we have to eliminate some of our fears to make room for the treasure we hope for. Unfortunately, hope is not the end-all if it is only treasure we seek. Once we have obtained some treasure, it is not difficult for fear to return in greater strength. Instead of resuming old fears, we may fear losing the good things in our lives. What if my treasure is lost? What will I do if I lose everything and have to start over? What if? Treasure may inspire us to act, but it may not have sufficient strength to overpower our doubts. Similarly, hope can do much in the face of fear to fight off the tragedies of life. But like fear, hope is not the most powerful motivator. Hope is too conditional.
Love is another powerful motivator that is often confused with many things. For instance, love and desire are often interchangeable expressions. If I love something, I may desire it. While love may generate desire, desiring something isn’t necessarily love. It is also possible to treasure an object without truly loving it. Loving someone may only be an expression of admiration. In these instances, desiring, treasuring, and admiring are only components of love. They are not the full expression. If we look at a part and forget the whole, love cannot be complete. When love increases to encompass greater aspects of good, it becomes more and more powerful. Without the full expression, love is still prone to weakness. In its perfect form, love is the most powerful motivator. It is without flaw.
Perfect love, or charity, is the pure love of Christ. Because it endures forever, it is both timeless and unconditional. Fear exists in the moment. Hope stretches our patience and endurance. Perfect love, however, knows no bounds. In order to be perfect, this love is completely selfless. As Mormon described, this love “suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (Moroni 7:45)
It is a little frightening to look at this powerful motivator because it is so selfless. The implication is that one who desires to have this power must likewise be selfless or the power of love will be ineffective. You can’t use a tool you don’t possess. First you have to seek it. In the case of charity, you seek it by eliminating lesser motivations.
Fear may be an acceptable force when we are less experienced if it points us in the right direction. It is a beginning for our learning. As powerful as it is, fear is not a sufficient motivator to get us past the most difficult trials in life. It is not enough to get us to our eternal home. Fear can start out being a helpful tool, but as we begin to look for the deeper meaning in the parables of our lives, it is not a friend but only a foe.
Treasure and the hope of reward can likewise only get us so far before we run out of gas. The apostle Paul acknowledged this difference when he said, “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child. I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1 Corinthians 13:11) If we truly believe in God, then we have no need to doubt what He said was true. If we do not doubt, then there is no more need for fear.
President Thomas S. Monson has counseled us that “faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.” (“Come unto Him in Prayer and Faith,” Ensign, Mar. 2009) Likewise our hearts cannot house both faith and fear. Our hope can also do much to crowd out our fears, but the most powerful is still charity. In a letter to his son Moroni, Mormon also taught that “perfect love casteth out all fear.” (Moroni 8:16)
While fear, treasure, and love are powerful motivators, they seem a less likely combination when they are restated as fear, hope, and charity. If we take Paul at his word, and we are ready to find a better way, then it is time to replace fear with faith and rely on faith, hope, and charity instead. In preparation to meet the Lord, Paul counsels, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1 Corinthians 13:12-13)
Similar to looking through a glass darkly, the veil that is placed over our minds is to test our faith, not our fear. The meaning behind our circumstances is veiled and slowly revealed one clue at a time, according to our faithfulness and capacity to apply spiritual things. Like watching the main character in a story, it is easy to judge and offer suggestions on how to live these principles. Yet, when we are in the story ourselves, overcoming our fears is one of the biggest obstacles we face. Perhaps the only challenge that is more difficult is getting to the point where we do everything out of love and not fear.
If we wish to cast out all fear, Mormon tells us how to obtain the gift of charity. “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ….” (Moroni 7:48) When we seek this gift, the Lord will expand our capacity to love and feel love. He will help us to love one another as He loves us. As we pray for charity, His love will push out the fear in our heart, which will make room for greater faith. As our faith grows brighter and brighter, the veil becomes thinner and thinner.
Just like a good story, we should expect a certain amount of conflict in our lives. Good days and bad days alike are punctuated with opportunities to find a different approach to familiar problems. As we learn to replace our fear with faith and in turn act out of love, we stop fighting the trials that make us stronger. Instead, we tap into a power that is much greater than our own, which allows us to face our fears head on. When we live and love as the Savior did, the parables of our lives begin to make more sense. The meaning behind difficult experiences is unveiled and our hearts are made whole again.
So what makes a good story? Perhaps it is fear and treasure in the beginning, but it is love that makes a perfect ending.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
As I place myself in the position of a fictitious character and consider how I would respond under a given set of circumstances, I wonder how my experience would compare with theirs. When the narrator of the story understands more than the main character, we often get insight and information that the character does not. More information makes it easier for us to make decisions, or so it seems. While the whole story is not revealed to the reader, it is easier, perhaps, to judge the character in the story unfairly. It may be easy to wish that you could give them some help because you have a clearer perspective. This may be similar to the way a devoted sports fan watching television will shout fruitless advice to a referee who can’t see very clearly. No matter how loud you shout, it may not change the outcome of the story.
Not all stories are told with clarity to the listener. When I am given a story problem to solve, and I have no more information than the main character, we are on equal ground, except for the fact that I am likely more comfortable and I can choose to ignore the problem when I am tired of reading. While I am engaged, however, very often the main character and I are both confused and perplexed. And yet, there is something that keeps me reading. There is something about the ingredients that holds my attention. The story is engaging and I can’t put it down.
Have you ever stopped to consider what makes a good story? Why is it that things which are unclear hold our attention so well? In the case of these questions, I think the power of fiction comes very close to the truth. For me, it’s in the relevance of the story.
The Savior Jesus Christ often taught in parables, or stories, that helped to emphasize a truth. During part of his ministry, “without a parable spake he not unto them.” (Mark 4:34) The examples of his stories were relevant but the meaning was veiled. Many were the times that he would share an example and would then have to explain what the story meant to his closest disciples because they did not understand. His response, “Know ye not this parable? And how then will ye know all parables?” (Mark 4:13)
When His disciples asked Jesus why He taught in parables, He said, “Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” (Matthew 13:11) To those who are willing to receive shall be given more. But to him that chooses not to receive, he will lose the understanding that he has. Jesus chose to teach this way because the learner could listen and choose whether or not to understand depending on his desires and willingness. The faithful disciple will stop to look for the meaning in the story and then apply it.
Whenever we experience a significant trial in our lives, it may seem as though we are living inside of a parable. The circumstances are relevant by default. They are given to us to act upon. The meaning of the experience may be veiled behind the circumstances, unless we choose to look to the Savior as His disciples did and ask for an interpretation. “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:9)
As I consider my own question, “What makes a good story?” I find that in many instances I like the story when there is some kind of conflict where the resolution is not clear at first. It is the mystery and the hope of resolution that make the problem worth solving. Usually I can relate to the main character because I can empathize with what they are going through. My experience may not match theirs even closely, but I can relate to their emotions and motivations. Most often I hope to get something out of my investment in the story – I hope to see a different approach to a familiar problem. I like that kind of application.
Most often our emotions are tied to our expectations. If our expectations are met, we feel positive emotions. When they are not, we are left with sadness, frustration, and disappointment. Whether it is a story that we are reading, or whether we are watching the circumstances in our own lives, it is helpful to understand both our emotions and our motivations, that is if you agree with my assessment of what makes a good story.
Ironically, it is the motivations that we enjoy watching in stories of others that make us the most uncomfortable in our own stories. We don’t mind conflict when we can sit in an “easy chair” and observe. But when we are on trial, the fire seems much hotter. It still makes for the best stories, and I like recounting the story a lot more after I know there is a happy ending.
For the purpose of illustration, think of the writings of Shakespeare which can be grouped into three classifications, namely histories, tragedies, and comedies. Histories look at the way a story unfolds based on actual events and choices. Tragedies tell a story about powerful motivations that often do not have a happy ending. And, simply put, you may say that comedies are stories about people where bad decisions turn out all right in the end. Each of us may have a variety of stories in our own lives that are a direct result of our choices.
The determining factor for me as to whether my life’s story has a happy ending or not will depend on my ability to attain my ultimate purpose in life – to return to the presence of God. If I am successful, many of my tragedies may turn out to be comedies after all. My assertion that a good story is composed of relevant motivations and good choices is critical if I want any control over my own outcome. I liked choose-your-own-adventure books when I was a kid, and that hasn’t changed. I still find great happiness knowing that I can choose my own ending in spite of the circumstances that are given to me to act upon. It all comes down to good choices.
So, if our motivations are so critical to our decisions, what is it that motivates us to make good choices? What motivates us to be obedient to God’s commandments? I believe there are three key motivations – fear, treasure, and love. Not much different than good literature, these are the makings of a good story.
Fear is a powerful master when we let it be. It provides motivation to obtain our desires when it seems there is no other way. Choosing to do something we don’t want to do may appear to be a better option than feeling the threat of negative consequences, especially when those consequences may be applied immediately. Fear operates best when there is present danger or risk. Often, but not always, there is a focus on now rather than later. What will I have to give up now if I don’t? What will happen to me if I choose not to? What if it doesn’t work out? Fear has less power when consequences are prolonged. Because it may be hard to tell whether a story is a tragedy or a comedy until the ending, I believe it is safe to say that fear is not the most powerful motivator, not when there is hope.
Treasure gives us something to hope for. When life isn’t as pleasant as we would like, we can always hope for something better. Positive rewards and consequences reinforce the idea that good things happen to people who make good choices. The nature of hope takes the focus off of now and stretches it further and further ahead, usually in the form of some blessing or reward. The more we look forward to such blessings, the more we treasure them. We keep them close to our hearts. In fact we have to eliminate some of our fears to make room for the treasure we hope for. Unfortunately, hope is not the end-all if it is only treasure we seek. Once we have obtained some treasure, it is not difficult for fear to return in greater strength. Instead of resuming old fears, we may fear losing the good things in our lives. What if my treasure is lost? What will I do if I lose everything and have to start over? What if? Treasure may inspire us to act, but it may not have sufficient strength to overpower our doubts. Similarly, hope can do much in the face of fear to fight off the tragedies of life. But like fear, hope is not the most powerful motivator. Hope is too conditional.
Love is another powerful motivator that is often confused with many things. For instance, love and desire are often interchangeable expressions. If I love something, I may desire it. While love may generate desire, desiring something isn’t necessarily love. It is also possible to treasure an object without truly loving it. Loving someone may only be an expression of admiration. In these instances, desiring, treasuring, and admiring are only components of love. They are not the full expression. If we look at a part and forget the whole, love cannot be complete. When love increases to encompass greater aspects of good, it becomes more and more powerful. Without the full expression, love is still prone to weakness. In its perfect form, love is the most powerful motivator. It is without flaw.
Perfect love, or charity, is the pure love of Christ. Because it endures forever, it is both timeless and unconditional. Fear exists in the moment. Hope stretches our patience and endurance. Perfect love, however, knows no bounds. In order to be perfect, this love is completely selfless. As Mormon described, this love “suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (Moroni 7:45)
It is a little frightening to look at this powerful motivator because it is so selfless. The implication is that one who desires to have this power must likewise be selfless or the power of love will be ineffective. You can’t use a tool you don’t possess. First you have to seek it. In the case of charity, you seek it by eliminating lesser motivations.
Fear may be an acceptable force when we are less experienced if it points us in the right direction. It is a beginning for our learning. As powerful as it is, fear is not a sufficient motivator to get us past the most difficult trials in life. It is not enough to get us to our eternal home. Fear can start out being a helpful tool, but as we begin to look for the deeper meaning in the parables of our lives, it is not a friend but only a foe.
Treasure and the hope of reward can likewise only get us so far before we run out of gas. The apostle Paul acknowledged this difference when he said, “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child. I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1 Corinthians 13:11) If we truly believe in God, then we have no need to doubt what He said was true. If we do not doubt, then there is no more need for fear.
President Thomas S. Monson has counseled us that “faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other.” (“Come unto Him in Prayer and Faith,” Ensign, Mar. 2009) Likewise our hearts cannot house both faith and fear. Our hope can also do much to crowd out our fears, but the most powerful is still charity. In a letter to his son Moroni, Mormon also taught that “perfect love casteth out all fear.” (Moroni 8:16)
While fear, treasure, and love are powerful motivators, they seem a less likely combination when they are restated as fear, hope, and charity. If we take Paul at his word, and we are ready to find a better way, then it is time to replace fear with faith and rely on faith, hope, and charity instead. In preparation to meet the Lord, Paul counsels, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1 Corinthians 13:12-13)
Similar to looking through a glass darkly, the veil that is placed over our minds is to test our faith, not our fear. The meaning behind our circumstances is veiled and slowly revealed one clue at a time, according to our faithfulness and capacity to apply spiritual things. Like watching the main character in a story, it is easy to judge and offer suggestions on how to live these principles. Yet, when we are in the story ourselves, overcoming our fears is one of the biggest obstacles we face. Perhaps the only challenge that is more difficult is getting to the point where we do everything out of love and not fear.
If we wish to cast out all fear, Mormon tells us how to obtain the gift of charity. “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ….” (Moroni 7:48) When we seek this gift, the Lord will expand our capacity to love and feel love. He will help us to love one another as He loves us. As we pray for charity, His love will push out the fear in our heart, which will make room for greater faith. As our faith grows brighter and brighter, the veil becomes thinner and thinner.
Just like a good story, we should expect a certain amount of conflict in our lives. Good days and bad days alike are punctuated with opportunities to find a different approach to familiar problems. As we learn to replace our fear with faith and in turn act out of love, we stop fighting the trials that make us stronger. Instead, we tap into a power that is much greater than our own, which allows us to face our fears head on. When we live and love as the Savior did, the parables of our lives begin to make more sense. The meaning behind difficult experiences is unveiled and our hearts are made whole again.
So what makes a good story? Perhaps it is fear and treasure in the beginning, but it is love that makes a perfect ending.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Monday, December 28, 2009
Friends
Looking back at the milestones that mark the past several months, I can say without hesitation that this year has been unparalleled by any other year in my life. 2009 has been the year of amazing friendships. Uniquely, so many started because of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Even He seems much closer than ever before. This is a year that I will always cherish and never forget. Perhaps that is because these friendships have come after a lifetime of seeking.
Growing up, I always wanted a best friend. Everyone else seemed to have one. My circumstances seemed a little different than most because the friends I saw at school during the week were different than those I played with in the neighborhood. And those friends were different than the ones I saw at church on Sunday. That had a lot to do with living at the edge of an elementary school boundary and living at the edge of a congregational ward boundary with a little sliver of cross-over territory shared between the two. It was sort of a no-man’s land. The girl next door was a great friend for a lot of years until it was cooler for girls to play with girls and boys with boys. Still, she is a friend of mine to this day. We had everything in common way back when.
The need for friends didn’t change as I got older, but only increased. There is such a power in finding someone else who thinks like you do, who feels like you do, and who shares the same things in common. I think we all want to trust and be trusted, to love and feel love in return. That need is a powerful motivator. It is also not without a counterpoint growing up.
Becoming a teenager is really an awkward thing to do. It feels strange and it is strange. I know very few people who didn’t feel that way at some point. At that age, most teenagers lack confidence and connection. Almost overnight a change occurs where the need for friends becomes stronger than the need for family. As uncomfortable as that age may feel, I think this desire is really a divine gift Father gives to His children to prompt them out of the comfortable nest of security and into adulthood. It motivates each of us to grow up a little.
Now that I have a couple of sons approaching that age, it is fun looking at the world through their eyes. I am glad they trust me enough to talk about their friends, their interests, and their attractions, namely girls. For all its ups and downs, that period of life results in tremendous growth. What I don’t think most teenagers realize (while they may know everything else) is that for the first time in their life, they are capable of that rapid growth. It is not by accident, but by design.
I realized a defining moment when I found that I was tired of being unpopular and I could do something about it. At that age I always felt that no one wanted to do things with me because they never asked. So I would stay home and feel sorry for myself. That all changed one day with an idea. “Maybe there are other people who are waiting for someone to extend an invitation like I am. Maybe they really are just like me.”
With that thought I picked up a phone and dialed a friend. (Back then, phones still had dials that clicked rather than buttons with digital tones.) He answered with a hello and I responded, “Hey, a group of us are going bowling, would you like to go?” He replied, “Sure. Who is going? I responded, “Well, right now, you and me, but I have a few more phone calls to make.” I didn’t see my comment as being dishonest. For the first time in my life, I was exhibiting a little bit of confidence in the future. That confidence paid off, and within the hour, there were more than a dozen of us who were included in a friendly game at the bowling alley. That idea, successfully proven, was about to gain momentum.
By the time I graduated from high school, I had some tremendous friends. For the first time in my life I knew what it was like to be so close that you could almost read each other’s minds. It was the closest I had ever come to being of one heart and one mind with someone else. I was fortunate to have really good friends – the kind that pressure you to do good things instead of things that are harmful. Many, many are still good friends. (In fact, you are probably a good number who are actually reading this blog. Cool.)
Attending the University of Utah gave me a new perspective on confidence. I realized that if you acted like you knew what you were doing (instead of being a lost freshman) that people just assumed you did. Better yet, they like being around you because of it. Confidence, if not overbearing, seems to attract other people because it offers some security. Funny thing, much like being happy, confidence is a choice. Deciding to be brave isn’t easy, but it isn’t as hard as it looks either. I am glad I have seen both sides, or I wouldn’t have believed it. My confidence grew and so did my group of friends. Having a little bit of confidence helped me for the next phase in my life.
Serving a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Looking back, I would do it again in a heartbeat. I loved it, and I find I am often a little jealous of young missionaries who are just leaving home for the first time. I think the biggest reason is because of the friends I made.
Again, I found that there were a lot of people who were just like me. They were looking for something, but they were waiting around for someone to come find them. Unfortunately, they hadn’t figured out my little phone trick, and they hadn’t quite figured out what they were missing in life. It was such an amazing experience to share some of the things that have made me wonderfully happy in my life and see that they then became happy, too. But the best part was the relationships.
I recognized that after having a discussion about deeper things, especially things that are eternally true and yet very relevant to now, had a profound affect. One little taste and I was hooked. In a short period of a couple weeks, I found that I felt as close to some of my newest friends as I had to friends that I had known a good part of my life. I marveled at how that could be possible and I observed one common thread every time. When we talked about deeper things, we invited the Holy Ghost to bear witness of the truthfulness of the things that we said. That is His divine role, to testify of divine truths. When that happens, I think we get a reminder of what we felt when we lived in heaven before coming to this earth. It is as though we feel a little piece of home, and we long for it. We yearn for it. And then we crave to have that feeling in our life more and more. It was this feeling, the feeling of having a member of the Godhead included in a new friendship that created a powerful bond as deep as eternity.
Since then I have pondered on what I can do to be a better friend, and how I can be of most help to someone else. I suppose that is why, when I have a chance to share something, that I prefer to share the things that I value most. That is if I know the listening party is interested.
The next phase of my friendship development was meeting and marrying my wife. Though that makes it sound pretty quick it wasn’t quite that fast, but almost. It was here that I found my very best friend in the world. (Thanks, Liz.) I am a romantic at heart, and that part of our relationship has been wonderful, but there has been more that has made our relationship deeper. Together we learned to become one, to have one heart and one mind. I had a taste of that when I was younger, but only to a smaller degree in comparison. Together we found a strong unity that has been the glue in our marriage. Unity is power, and love is a great motivator. These alone should be motivation for finding one to whom you can be true and faithful. Fifteen years of marriage is just the beginning of a friendship we plan to last forever.
During our marriage, other friends have punctuated the paragraphs of our lives like a recurring theme or storyline. Just at the right moments we have had epiphanies of significant importance, and those friends have been there to help, encourage, and inspire. Many times they were there at the moment they were needed the most, in answer to prayer. It has been those friends who have helped to build a shed in the backyard or re-shingle a house. Those are the friends who have invited us to yet another barbeque on the patio or a surprise birthday party for another friend. We have played sports on the field and on the court. We have shared experiences, ideals, goals, thoughts, and prized moments. Without exception, the strongest of those relationships have also had one familiar thread – Father’s hand was in all of them. He brought us together, and He was the one thing we had most in common – He as well as His Son, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. The influence of the Holy Ghost has made all the difference in the feelings we feel when we share deep and significant things. These have been powerful relationships.
This year, however, the year of friendships, has been different. Beginning with a stage production of Savior of the World, where our family all had a chance to participate, my life began to change. Perhaps it had something to do with the role I had to play. Part of it may have been the way that others saw me in addition to what I felt myself. Part of it was definitely my focus on deeper things. Through the experience of thinking about the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ, His sacrifice and His atonement, as we rehearsed, sang, and performed, each of us knew Him a little better than before. Each of us wanted to know Him more than we had before. Most importantly, each of us learned what it meant to worship Him and to feel closer to Him. That is the most beautiful feeling I have ever experienced. Sharing that experience with many others who had the same desire was more powerful than anything else I have known. Love. Unity. Commitment. We felt these and an overwhelming feeling of closeness to God as we focused our lives on Him.
A beautiful thing happens at the Last Supper of our Lord before he offered Himself a sacrifice and ransom for all of us. It happens in the name he gives to His disciples because of their faith. Jesus said, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” (John 15:14-15) What an incredible statement of appreciation for the God of this world to speak to us and call us friend. What a privilege to have Him share that which He treasures.
With this new insight, I yearned like I never had before. I prayed for charity and to feel the love of God like I had not before. I was given new understanding and received according to my prayers. I was given new friends. The friends that I had before became more important to me, and closer, too. Some friends, unlooked for, became especially close. My own wife and children became greater friends and a greater strength to me. Other family members became closer to my heart. They have each been an answer to my prayers. Like Jesus said to his disciples, “that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.” (John 15:16-17)
From friends I have learned to care more deeply. I have cared for more, and I have been cared for by many others. Yet, in spite of the increase, I have come to value relationships with individuals especially, one at a time. I have treasured the importance of “one” the most. There is strength in a group, but there is power in being one.
Interestingly I have found friends in unexpected places. I have renewed old acquaintances via the internet and social networks, and I have made new friends by accomplishing common objectives with strangers. I have even discovered friends among the homeless on the streets. With each, my heart has gotten wider with a desire to be one.
In His intercessory prayer, Jesus prays to the Father that his disciples may be one as He and the Father are one. He continues, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:11, 20-21) This is the path for all those who wish to be with Him in the celestial kingdom of our Father.
As I reflect on examples of friendship in the scriptures, my mind always turns to Jonathan, son of Saul, and friend of David. He was the heir to the throne of his father and yet he loved his friend more. The scripture says, “the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” While his father was the king, Jonathan’s loyalty was to David, because he saw that the spirit of the Lord was with him. Jonathan not only gave him his clothing and his robe, he risked his life repeatedly to save his friend. (1 Samuel 18:1-4) He cared not for the honor of a throne, but only of the honor of his friend. Jonathan understood deep and meaningful relationships. They were his treasure.
Friendships have become my treasure. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (3 Nephi 13:21) The deeper the friendship, the greater the treasure. I have been given many gifts this year, but friendship is the greatest of them all. I believe this is also because true friendship is charity, which never faileth. For those who have ever been a friend, I thank you. Your love and prayers have been a great strength. For you who have loved the most, I thank the most for a debt that I will never be able to repay. I have definitely been changed for the better.
Looking back on my childhood, and my desire for friends, I think I have come a long way. I have been blessed abundantly. Fortunately, I can still remember what it was like to want, to long, and to yearn. With that in mind, I now wonder, “Who is the next friend I will make? Are they disguised as a stranger or a beggar? Are they waiting around for someone to come find them? Where can I make a difference for someone else today?” Perhaps they are waiting to have a discussion about deeper things but have only yet to realize it. The only way to find out is to keep looking for friends. That is when discoveries are made.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Growing up, I always wanted a best friend. Everyone else seemed to have one. My circumstances seemed a little different than most because the friends I saw at school during the week were different than those I played with in the neighborhood. And those friends were different than the ones I saw at church on Sunday. That had a lot to do with living at the edge of an elementary school boundary and living at the edge of a congregational ward boundary with a little sliver of cross-over territory shared between the two. It was sort of a no-man’s land. The girl next door was a great friend for a lot of years until it was cooler for girls to play with girls and boys with boys. Still, she is a friend of mine to this day. We had everything in common way back when.
The need for friends didn’t change as I got older, but only increased. There is such a power in finding someone else who thinks like you do, who feels like you do, and who shares the same things in common. I think we all want to trust and be trusted, to love and feel love in return. That need is a powerful motivator. It is also not without a counterpoint growing up.
Becoming a teenager is really an awkward thing to do. It feels strange and it is strange. I know very few people who didn’t feel that way at some point. At that age, most teenagers lack confidence and connection. Almost overnight a change occurs where the need for friends becomes stronger than the need for family. As uncomfortable as that age may feel, I think this desire is really a divine gift Father gives to His children to prompt them out of the comfortable nest of security and into adulthood. It motivates each of us to grow up a little.
Now that I have a couple of sons approaching that age, it is fun looking at the world through their eyes. I am glad they trust me enough to talk about their friends, their interests, and their attractions, namely girls. For all its ups and downs, that period of life results in tremendous growth. What I don’t think most teenagers realize (while they may know everything else) is that for the first time in their life, they are capable of that rapid growth. It is not by accident, but by design.
I realized a defining moment when I found that I was tired of being unpopular and I could do something about it. At that age I always felt that no one wanted to do things with me because they never asked. So I would stay home and feel sorry for myself. That all changed one day with an idea. “Maybe there are other people who are waiting for someone to extend an invitation like I am. Maybe they really are just like me.”
With that thought I picked up a phone and dialed a friend. (Back then, phones still had dials that clicked rather than buttons with digital tones.) He answered with a hello and I responded, “Hey, a group of us are going bowling, would you like to go?” He replied, “Sure. Who is going? I responded, “Well, right now, you and me, but I have a few more phone calls to make.” I didn’t see my comment as being dishonest. For the first time in my life, I was exhibiting a little bit of confidence in the future. That confidence paid off, and within the hour, there were more than a dozen of us who were included in a friendly game at the bowling alley. That idea, successfully proven, was about to gain momentum.
By the time I graduated from high school, I had some tremendous friends. For the first time in my life I knew what it was like to be so close that you could almost read each other’s minds. It was the closest I had ever come to being of one heart and one mind with someone else. I was fortunate to have really good friends – the kind that pressure you to do good things instead of things that are harmful. Many, many are still good friends. (In fact, you are probably a good number who are actually reading this blog. Cool.)
Attending the University of Utah gave me a new perspective on confidence. I realized that if you acted like you knew what you were doing (instead of being a lost freshman) that people just assumed you did. Better yet, they like being around you because of it. Confidence, if not overbearing, seems to attract other people because it offers some security. Funny thing, much like being happy, confidence is a choice. Deciding to be brave isn’t easy, but it isn’t as hard as it looks either. I am glad I have seen both sides, or I wouldn’t have believed it. My confidence grew and so did my group of friends. Having a little bit of confidence helped me for the next phase in my life.
Serving a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was one of the hardest things I have ever done. Looking back, I would do it again in a heartbeat. I loved it, and I find I am often a little jealous of young missionaries who are just leaving home for the first time. I think the biggest reason is because of the friends I made.
Again, I found that there were a lot of people who were just like me. They were looking for something, but they were waiting around for someone to come find them. Unfortunately, they hadn’t figured out my little phone trick, and they hadn’t quite figured out what they were missing in life. It was such an amazing experience to share some of the things that have made me wonderfully happy in my life and see that they then became happy, too. But the best part was the relationships.
I recognized that after having a discussion about deeper things, especially things that are eternally true and yet very relevant to now, had a profound affect. One little taste and I was hooked. In a short period of a couple weeks, I found that I felt as close to some of my newest friends as I had to friends that I had known a good part of my life. I marveled at how that could be possible and I observed one common thread every time. When we talked about deeper things, we invited the Holy Ghost to bear witness of the truthfulness of the things that we said. That is His divine role, to testify of divine truths. When that happens, I think we get a reminder of what we felt when we lived in heaven before coming to this earth. It is as though we feel a little piece of home, and we long for it. We yearn for it. And then we crave to have that feeling in our life more and more. It was this feeling, the feeling of having a member of the Godhead included in a new friendship that created a powerful bond as deep as eternity.
Since then I have pondered on what I can do to be a better friend, and how I can be of most help to someone else. I suppose that is why, when I have a chance to share something, that I prefer to share the things that I value most. That is if I know the listening party is interested.
The next phase of my friendship development was meeting and marrying my wife. Though that makes it sound pretty quick it wasn’t quite that fast, but almost. It was here that I found my very best friend in the world. (Thanks, Liz.) I am a romantic at heart, and that part of our relationship has been wonderful, but there has been more that has made our relationship deeper. Together we learned to become one, to have one heart and one mind. I had a taste of that when I was younger, but only to a smaller degree in comparison. Together we found a strong unity that has been the glue in our marriage. Unity is power, and love is a great motivator. These alone should be motivation for finding one to whom you can be true and faithful. Fifteen years of marriage is just the beginning of a friendship we plan to last forever.
During our marriage, other friends have punctuated the paragraphs of our lives like a recurring theme or storyline. Just at the right moments we have had epiphanies of significant importance, and those friends have been there to help, encourage, and inspire. Many times they were there at the moment they were needed the most, in answer to prayer. It has been those friends who have helped to build a shed in the backyard or re-shingle a house. Those are the friends who have invited us to yet another barbeque on the patio or a surprise birthday party for another friend. We have played sports on the field and on the court. We have shared experiences, ideals, goals, thoughts, and prized moments. Without exception, the strongest of those relationships have also had one familiar thread – Father’s hand was in all of them. He brought us together, and He was the one thing we had most in common – He as well as His Son, and our Savior, Jesus Christ. The influence of the Holy Ghost has made all the difference in the feelings we feel when we share deep and significant things. These have been powerful relationships.
This year, however, the year of friendships, has been different. Beginning with a stage production of Savior of the World, where our family all had a chance to participate, my life began to change. Perhaps it had something to do with the role I had to play. Part of it may have been the way that others saw me in addition to what I felt myself. Part of it was definitely my focus on deeper things. Through the experience of thinking about the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ, His sacrifice and His atonement, as we rehearsed, sang, and performed, each of us knew Him a little better than before. Each of us wanted to know Him more than we had before. Most importantly, each of us learned what it meant to worship Him and to feel closer to Him. That is the most beautiful feeling I have ever experienced. Sharing that experience with many others who had the same desire was more powerful than anything else I have known. Love. Unity. Commitment. We felt these and an overwhelming feeling of closeness to God as we focused our lives on Him.
A beautiful thing happens at the Last Supper of our Lord before he offered Himself a sacrifice and ransom for all of us. It happens in the name he gives to His disciples because of their faith. Jesus said, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.” (John 15:14-15) What an incredible statement of appreciation for the God of this world to speak to us and call us friend. What a privilege to have Him share that which He treasures.
With this new insight, I yearned like I never had before. I prayed for charity and to feel the love of God like I had not before. I was given new understanding and received according to my prayers. I was given new friends. The friends that I had before became more important to me, and closer, too. Some friends, unlooked for, became especially close. My own wife and children became greater friends and a greater strength to me. Other family members became closer to my heart. They have each been an answer to my prayers. Like Jesus said to his disciples, “that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.” (John 15:16-17)
From friends I have learned to care more deeply. I have cared for more, and I have been cared for by many others. Yet, in spite of the increase, I have come to value relationships with individuals especially, one at a time. I have treasured the importance of “one” the most. There is strength in a group, but there is power in being one.
Interestingly I have found friends in unexpected places. I have renewed old acquaintances via the internet and social networks, and I have made new friends by accomplishing common objectives with strangers. I have even discovered friends among the homeless on the streets. With each, my heart has gotten wider with a desire to be one.
In His intercessory prayer, Jesus prays to the Father that his disciples may be one as He and the Father are one. He continues, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” (John 17:11, 20-21) This is the path for all those who wish to be with Him in the celestial kingdom of our Father.
As I reflect on examples of friendship in the scriptures, my mind always turns to Jonathan, son of Saul, and friend of David. He was the heir to the throne of his father and yet he loved his friend more. The scripture says, “the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.” While his father was the king, Jonathan’s loyalty was to David, because he saw that the spirit of the Lord was with him. Jonathan not only gave him his clothing and his robe, he risked his life repeatedly to save his friend. (1 Samuel 18:1-4) He cared not for the honor of a throne, but only of the honor of his friend. Jonathan understood deep and meaningful relationships. They were his treasure.
Friendships have become my treasure. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (3 Nephi 13:21) The deeper the friendship, the greater the treasure. I have been given many gifts this year, but friendship is the greatest of them all. I believe this is also because true friendship is charity, which never faileth. For those who have ever been a friend, I thank you. Your love and prayers have been a great strength. For you who have loved the most, I thank the most for a debt that I will never be able to repay. I have definitely been changed for the better.
Looking back on my childhood, and my desire for friends, I think I have come a long way. I have been blessed abundantly. Fortunately, I can still remember what it was like to want, to long, and to yearn. With that in mind, I now wonder, “Who is the next friend I will make? Are they disguised as a stranger or a beggar? Are they waiting around for someone to come find them? Where can I make a difference for someone else today?” Perhaps they are waiting to have a discussion about deeper things but have only yet to realize it. The only way to find out is to keep looking for friends. That is when discoveries are made.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Gifts
Each November after Thanksgiving we have a tradition of driving into the Uinta Mountains to cut down a Christmas tree. The permit to cut a tree doesn’t cost much. We spend a lot more on gas for the two hour drive each way. But the memories we pay for are worth the cost.
Personally, I value the tradition much more than the tree. The conversation with family on the way, the company of excellent friends, the hike in the snow while looking for the perfect tree, an occasional snowball fight, the satisfaction of finding said tree, and the reward of delicious treats when we return with our trophies are all part of the experience. (I like treats.) It is a fun tradition to share. We are gone most of the day, but the time seems to go too quickly. I have yet to find a clock with good brakes. As you might guess from my description, the tree really isn’t the focus.
Once the tree is placed in our living room, and a bottle of Sprite is drained and mixed with water to give the tree a drink, we begin decorating. We decorate the house and the tree, both. Our family doesn’t decorate for most holidays, but we do for Christmas. It has little to do with worship of the Savior, perhaps, but it does warm up our home. It puts us in a different mood, a little more ready to share.
Giving our kids a Christmas ornament each year is another tradition we have. After more than a decade of raising five children, we have also increased the number of ornaments on our tree. It’s quite the menagerie and assortment, including figurines of ballerinas, Darth Vader, a piano, princesses, race cars, a black bear from Yellowstone, Mickey Mouse, a guitar, Tinker Bell, and a few different Santa Clauses. Each ornament represents the personal interest or an experience shared by one of our kids for the year that the ornament was given. It’s almost like a dangling journal or diary of sorts.
With the tree properly decorated, the gifts to each other begin to arrive beneath the tree. Some years there are more gifts than others. Some gifts are recycled as one of the youngest in the family gives someone else an item they were once fond of. (We see this as generous rather than cheap.) This year will probably see fewer new gifts beneath the boughs than in the past. The recession has been a different kind of gift. But the amount doesn’t seem to matter. Christmas is a holiday of worship and sharing, and we like to do both.
I am not one for a lot of commercialism, but I love to give gifts. Though I tend to avoid sales, and crowds, and fluff, I like to give something that, even in a small way, says, “I love you,” with perfect clarity. It drives my wife nuts when we set a budget for gifts, because we inevitably have to find a way to rob Peter to pay Paul after I am finished. It isn’t much, and I don’t think I am irresponsible, but it usually involves my time, talents, and the things I have been given. Okay, perhaps this is a justification more than anything, but I like to think that “because I have been given much, I too must give.” (Hymns, 219) When Liz reads this, she will likely grin with an expression on her face that says, “I can see right through your reasons.” Even if she is right, I would rather share than not.
Different from when I was a kid, I don’t care much about receiving presents any more. I have been the recipient of so many blessings from Father that I am happy if I am not given anything. It is gift enough to know that my gifts are received and appreciated and that love is felt in return. That works out well since Liz and I are outnumbered two to five. Our kids love us, and we feel it.
Because this time of year is a time of worship and sharing, it does help me to keep the giving season of Christmas in proper perspective when I consider the best gifts and why they are given. After I think about kids waiting in line to sit on Santa’s lap at the mall or some gathering of friends or co-workers, I also think about the oft repeated instruction by the Savior, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
While living in Kirtland, Ohio, Joseph Smith was instructed by the Lord on what we should ask for. He was told, “But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do….” He continues, “seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given…. For… they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me….” (D&C 46:7-9) If we lack a gift of the spirit that can help us and help others, we should pray earnestly for that gift.
I learn two important keys about asking as I read this passage of scripture. First, we are commanded to ask for the things we do not have. There is a difference between coveting, stealing, and taking, and the instruction to trust, ask, and rely upon Father. When we rely upon Him in faith, He answers our prayers. Secondly, this instruction is not for the perfect or even just those who keep all of Father’s commandments. He promises blessings for those who “seek so to do.” If we are trying, sincerely, He will see our efforts and will more than match them. It also helps if we are earnestly seeking the best gifts.
In a commercialized culture, “best” often refers to the most for the least. It is more and more of what I want. It may include good deals, bargains, and sales. On the other hand, it may be a long list of material things on our grown-up Christmas lists that typically I can only dream of because my wallet always falls short. But these things are not always best for us. Even if we receive them, they may not be gifts.
Yesterday, my oldest son and I were talking about one of his recent needs that he can’t afford at the moment. I thought his need was valid but perhaps bordered on the threshold of wants. Until he could afford the item he wanted, I suggested that he learn to make do. Then I shared a principle that has been very effective in my life.
Many times I find that I have a need for something that I can’t afford. I follow the instruction to pray about it and I tell Father what I need. I then determine in my heart that I will be content with what I have received, and what I may receive. Then I let it go. It’s not that I forget about my need. I still work towards it, but I try not to set my heart on it. When I can demonstrate to Father that I care more about Him than I do the things of this world, He usually gives me what I want anyway. It may not be immediately, but I often find that it is soon. This has worked repeatedly for me, time and time again, and I know that God hears and answers prayers. I have had too many prayers that have been answered to ever doubt again.
So what are the best gifts? If we are to seek them earnestly, then we should first consider what they are and why they are given. Here are a few thoughts.
The Gift of the Holy Ghost
Wilford Woodruff, the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints taught that the gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift that can be given to man in mortality. He said, “there is no greater gift, there is no greater blessing, there is no greater testimony given to any man on earth.” (Deseret Weekly, April 6, 1889, 451.) Why is this gift so great? Because the Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead, or Trinity if you will. To feel His influence and follow on a daily basis is to walk with God. If you have ever wanted help to do something hard, what better help could you ask for than to hold His hand through a difficult trial, knowing that He will lead you safely through it. This is a gift that is received through confirmation after an individual has been baptized as described in the scriptures. The gift is operable anytime we are in need and seek to keep Father’s commandments. Anyone who seeks this gift can have it. Once we have been given the gift, others around us can feel that gift through us. We can share this gift and inspire others to seek the gift, too. This gift has the sustaining power to see all of Father’s children safely home.
The Gift of Eternal Life
In a revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to David Whitmer, the Lord revealed, “Therefore, if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you. Seek to bring forth and establish my Zion. Keep my commandments in all things. And if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.” (D&C 14:5-7)
The gift of eternal life is the greatest gift possible because it is the gift that allows us to become like our Father. It is the gift that binds us to our Savior. With this gift, we are promised an inheritance of all that the Father hath. This means He will share His knowledge, His power, His wisdom, His glory, His kingdom, and worlds and eternities without end. Suffice it to say that we cannot comprehend what this really includes. But we know that He is willing to give us everything, holding nothing back, when we are willing to follow Him and keep His commandments.
The Gift of Charity
Mormon, a prophet in ancient America taught about another important gift, even the gift of charity. He said, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail— But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.” If we seek for charity, which is the pure love of Christ, we cannot fail.
We are further instructed how to receive this gift which is the greatest of all. Mormon continues, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; … that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure.” (Moroni 7:46-48)
The Gift of the Fruit of the Tree of Life
In a vision of the Tree of Life, the prophet, Lehi, saw a powerful symbol that can help each of us return to our heavenly home. The tree, which was a representation of ‘the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men” is most desirable above all things. (1 Nephi 11:22) After eating some of the fruit, Lehi wanted to share with his family. He knew that the fruit was desirable to make one truly happy. He said, “it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen. And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy....” (1 Nephi 8:10-12) There is only one way to the fruit. It is a strait and narrow path that is marked with a rod of iron. As we follow the word of God, He will lead us in that path until we can taste the fruit for ourselves.
Love is the Gift of God Freely Given
A close examination of these last three gifts points out an interesting similarity. They are each the greatest, or the most desirable. Exaltation is the greatest gift. Charity is the greatest of all. The fruit of the tree of life is most desirable. If they are not all exaggerations, then perhaps they all refer to the greatest gift.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) Jesus was born into this world so that He could save us. He gave His life so that He might save us. Everything He has done has been for our salvation and exaltation. Salvation comes freely to all, making possible the resurrection. Exaltation can only come when we claim the gift that He so freely offers us.
The tree of life in Lehi’s vision represents the love of God, or the love of Christ. They are the same. Charity is the love of God, or the pure love of Christ. The fruit of which Lehi tasted and found to be more desirable than anything else. When we bear fruits of faith and repentance, we are led to the fruit of the tree of life, of eternal life. Each of these gifts are one and the same. God loves His children and wants them to be happy. He allows them to choose, to act and not be acted upon. The gift has been extended. It is up to us to choose – to reach toward Him to receive the gift or not.
The Gift of Agency Returned
Occasionally you may joke about a gift that you plan to return to the store because it didn’t fit or it wasn’t quite what you wanted. In a different sense, and for entirely opposite reasons, there is a gift that I think is worth returning, and we shouldn’t delay or wait until the day after Christmas to do it.
Like the recycled gifts of my youngest but well intended children, there is so very little that we can give to Father that is not already His. We have but a broken heart and a contrite spirit to offer. The apostle, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, “as you submit your wills to God, you are giving Him the only thing you can actually give Him that is really yours to give. Don’t wait too long to find the altar or to begin to place the gift of your wills upon it! No need to wait for a receipt; the Lord has His own special ways of acknowledging.” (Ensign, May 2004, 44)
The gift of agency from Father to His children is the one thing that can give Him glory – because out of choice, we choose to become like Him. He allows us the freedom to choose for ourselves what we will do. He can’t force us. But when we submit to Him, and yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit by putting Him first, we demonstrate the amount of love we have for Him, be it great or small. Through our actions our gift is expressed. Through our love and agency returned, we give Him eternal glory.
I feel very blessed to have wonderful family and friends. This past year has been a real gift to me and I am changed for the better. I have never felt so much love and charity in all my life. The pure love of Christ is truly perfect love, and it is wonderful.
Christmas is a wonderful season of the year. It is not just a day. Christmas is an attitude and an opportunity. As we focus on the spirit of Christmas – the Spirit of the Lord – Father will grant unto us the gifts of the spirit that will lead us to the greatest gift of all. This is His gift. This is His desire, that we receive His gift by receiving Him into our hearts. As we do, we may feel Him say, “I love you,” with perfect clarity. May we all seek the love of God this Christmas season. May we ask for it, feel it, and then share it again and again.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Personally, I value the tradition much more than the tree. The conversation with family on the way, the company of excellent friends, the hike in the snow while looking for the perfect tree, an occasional snowball fight, the satisfaction of finding said tree, and the reward of delicious treats when we return with our trophies are all part of the experience. (I like treats.) It is a fun tradition to share. We are gone most of the day, but the time seems to go too quickly. I have yet to find a clock with good brakes. As you might guess from my description, the tree really isn’t the focus.
Once the tree is placed in our living room, and a bottle of Sprite is drained and mixed with water to give the tree a drink, we begin decorating. We decorate the house and the tree, both. Our family doesn’t decorate for most holidays, but we do for Christmas. It has little to do with worship of the Savior, perhaps, but it does warm up our home. It puts us in a different mood, a little more ready to share.
Giving our kids a Christmas ornament each year is another tradition we have. After more than a decade of raising five children, we have also increased the number of ornaments on our tree. It’s quite the menagerie and assortment, including figurines of ballerinas, Darth Vader, a piano, princesses, race cars, a black bear from Yellowstone, Mickey Mouse, a guitar, Tinker Bell, and a few different Santa Clauses. Each ornament represents the personal interest or an experience shared by one of our kids for the year that the ornament was given. It’s almost like a dangling journal or diary of sorts.
With the tree properly decorated, the gifts to each other begin to arrive beneath the tree. Some years there are more gifts than others. Some gifts are recycled as one of the youngest in the family gives someone else an item they were once fond of. (We see this as generous rather than cheap.) This year will probably see fewer new gifts beneath the boughs than in the past. The recession has been a different kind of gift. But the amount doesn’t seem to matter. Christmas is a holiday of worship and sharing, and we like to do both.
I am not one for a lot of commercialism, but I love to give gifts. Though I tend to avoid sales, and crowds, and fluff, I like to give something that, even in a small way, says, “I love you,” with perfect clarity. It drives my wife nuts when we set a budget for gifts, because we inevitably have to find a way to rob Peter to pay Paul after I am finished. It isn’t much, and I don’t think I am irresponsible, but it usually involves my time, talents, and the things I have been given. Okay, perhaps this is a justification more than anything, but I like to think that “because I have been given much, I too must give.” (Hymns, 219) When Liz reads this, she will likely grin with an expression on her face that says, “I can see right through your reasons.” Even if she is right, I would rather share than not.
Different from when I was a kid, I don’t care much about receiving presents any more. I have been the recipient of so many blessings from Father that I am happy if I am not given anything. It is gift enough to know that my gifts are received and appreciated and that love is felt in return. That works out well since Liz and I are outnumbered two to five. Our kids love us, and we feel it.
Because this time of year is a time of worship and sharing, it does help me to keep the giving season of Christmas in proper perspective when I consider the best gifts and why they are given. After I think about kids waiting in line to sit on Santa’s lap at the mall or some gathering of friends or co-workers, I also think about the oft repeated instruction by the Savior, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8)
While living in Kirtland, Ohio, Joseph Smith was instructed by the Lord on what we should ask for. He was told, “But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do….” He continues, “seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given…. For… they are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do; that all may be benefited that seek or that ask of me….” (D&C 46:7-9) If we lack a gift of the spirit that can help us and help others, we should pray earnestly for that gift.
I learn two important keys about asking as I read this passage of scripture. First, we are commanded to ask for the things we do not have. There is a difference between coveting, stealing, and taking, and the instruction to trust, ask, and rely upon Father. When we rely upon Him in faith, He answers our prayers. Secondly, this instruction is not for the perfect or even just those who keep all of Father’s commandments. He promises blessings for those who “seek so to do.” If we are trying, sincerely, He will see our efforts and will more than match them. It also helps if we are earnestly seeking the best gifts.
In a commercialized culture, “best” often refers to the most for the least. It is more and more of what I want. It may include good deals, bargains, and sales. On the other hand, it may be a long list of material things on our grown-up Christmas lists that typically I can only dream of because my wallet always falls short. But these things are not always best for us. Even if we receive them, they may not be gifts.
Yesterday, my oldest son and I were talking about one of his recent needs that he can’t afford at the moment. I thought his need was valid but perhaps bordered on the threshold of wants. Until he could afford the item he wanted, I suggested that he learn to make do. Then I shared a principle that has been very effective in my life.
Many times I find that I have a need for something that I can’t afford. I follow the instruction to pray about it and I tell Father what I need. I then determine in my heart that I will be content with what I have received, and what I may receive. Then I let it go. It’s not that I forget about my need. I still work towards it, but I try not to set my heart on it. When I can demonstrate to Father that I care more about Him than I do the things of this world, He usually gives me what I want anyway. It may not be immediately, but I often find that it is soon. This has worked repeatedly for me, time and time again, and I know that God hears and answers prayers. I have had too many prayers that have been answered to ever doubt again.
So what are the best gifts? If we are to seek them earnestly, then we should first consider what they are and why they are given. Here are a few thoughts.
The Gift of the Holy Ghost
Wilford Woodruff, the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints taught that the gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift that can be given to man in mortality. He said, “there is no greater gift, there is no greater blessing, there is no greater testimony given to any man on earth.” (Deseret Weekly, April 6, 1889, 451.) Why is this gift so great? Because the Holy Ghost is a member of the Godhead, or Trinity if you will. To feel His influence and follow on a daily basis is to walk with God. If you have ever wanted help to do something hard, what better help could you ask for than to hold His hand through a difficult trial, knowing that He will lead you safely through it. This is a gift that is received through confirmation after an individual has been baptized as described in the scriptures. The gift is operable anytime we are in need and seek to keep Father’s commandments. Anyone who seeks this gift can have it. Once we have been given the gift, others around us can feel that gift through us. We can share this gift and inspire others to seek the gift, too. This gift has the sustaining power to see all of Father’s children safely home.
The Gift of Eternal Life
In a revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet to David Whitmer, the Lord revealed, “Therefore, if you will ask of me you shall receive; if you will knock it shall be opened unto you. Seek to bring forth and establish my Zion. Keep my commandments in all things. And if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.” (D&C 14:5-7)
The gift of eternal life is the greatest gift possible because it is the gift that allows us to become like our Father. It is the gift that binds us to our Savior. With this gift, we are promised an inheritance of all that the Father hath. This means He will share His knowledge, His power, His wisdom, His glory, His kingdom, and worlds and eternities without end. Suffice it to say that we cannot comprehend what this really includes. But we know that He is willing to give us everything, holding nothing back, when we are willing to follow Him and keep His commandments.
The Gift of Charity
Mormon, a prophet in ancient America taught about another important gift, even the gift of charity. He said, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail— But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.” If we seek for charity, which is the pure love of Christ, we cannot fail.
We are further instructed how to receive this gift which is the greatest of all. Mormon continues, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; … that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure.” (Moroni 7:46-48)
The Gift of the Fruit of the Tree of Life
In a vision of the Tree of Life, the prophet, Lehi, saw a powerful symbol that can help each of us return to our heavenly home. The tree, which was a representation of ‘the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men” is most desirable above all things. (1 Nephi 11:22) After eating some of the fruit, Lehi wanted to share with his family. He knew that the fruit was desirable to make one truly happy. He said, “it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen. And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy....” (1 Nephi 8:10-12) There is only one way to the fruit. It is a strait and narrow path that is marked with a rod of iron. As we follow the word of God, He will lead us in that path until we can taste the fruit for ourselves.
Love is the Gift of God Freely Given
A close examination of these last three gifts points out an interesting similarity. They are each the greatest, or the most desirable. Exaltation is the greatest gift. Charity is the greatest of all. The fruit of the tree of life is most desirable. If they are not all exaggerations, then perhaps they all refer to the greatest gift.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) Jesus was born into this world so that He could save us. He gave His life so that He might save us. Everything He has done has been for our salvation and exaltation. Salvation comes freely to all, making possible the resurrection. Exaltation can only come when we claim the gift that He so freely offers us.
The tree of life in Lehi’s vision represents the love of God, or the love of Christ. They are the same. Charity is the love of God, or the pure love of Christ. The fruit of which Lehi tasted and found to be more desirable than anything else. When we bear fruits of faith and repentance, we are led to the fruit of the tree of life, of eternal life. Each of these gifts are one and the same. God loves His children and wants them to be happy. He allows them to choose, to act and not be acted upon. The gift has been extended. It is up to us to choose – to reach toward Him to receive the gift or not.
The Gift of Agency Returned
Occasionally you may joke about a gift that you plan to return to the store because it didn’t fit or it wasn’t quite what you wanted. In a different sense, and for entirely opposite reasons, there is a gift that I think is worth returning, and we shouldn’t delay or wait until the day after Christmas to do it.
Like the recycled gifts of my youngest but well intended children, there is so very little that we can give to Father that is not already His. We have but a broken heart and a contrite spirit to offer. The apostle, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said, “as you submit your wills to God, you are giving Him the only thing you can actually give Him that is really yours to give. Don’t wait too long to find the altar or to begin to place the gift of your wills upon it! No need to wait for a receipt; the Lord has His own special ways of acknowledging.” (Ensign, May 2004, 44)
The gift of agency from Father to His children is the one thing that can give Him glory – because out of choice, we choose to become like Him. He allows us the freedom to choose for ourselves what we will do. He can’t force us. But when we submit to Him, and yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit by putting Him first, we demonstrate the amount of love we have for Him, be it great or small. Through our actions our gift is expressed. Through our love and agency returned, we give Him eternal glory.
I feel very blessed to have wonderful family and friends. This past year has been a real gift to me and I am changed for the better. I have never felt so much love and charity in all my life. The pure love of Christ is truly perfect love, and it is wonderful.
Christmas is a wonderful season of the year. It is not just a day. Christmas is an attitude and an opportunity. As we focus on the spirit of Christmas – the Spirit of the Lord – Father will grant unto us the gifts of the spirit that will lead us to the greatest gift of all. This is His gift. This is His desire, that we receive His gift by receiving Him into our hearts. As we do, we may feel Him say, “I love you,” with perfect clarity. May we all seek the love of God this Christmas season. May we ask for it, feel it, and then share it again and again.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Master, the Tempest is Raging
This morning I feel a desire to be a little more candid than I usually am. After reflecting on experiences I have had the past several months, I am amazed and filled with wonder. Several significant events have given me new vision to see through the storms of life, not the least of these was being in a musical production about the Lord, Jesus Christ. While it was just a play, it created a personal meridian in time for me that will mark accelerated personal growth.
In the months leading up to the experience, I had experienced some physical limitations for about a year. I wondered if I would ever be the same again. I hoped, but I did not know what the outcome would be. When you have a difficult experience, it is natural to wonder if you will ever get back to normal. Then you start to question what normal is. Introspection begins and you can often find more questions than answers. Such was my experience, but that is a whole other story.
Just before we performed the musical production, I felt my life change and my physical limitations were removed. I was thankful that Father had heard my prayers and had granted the requested blessings, in His due time. Immense gratitude swelled in my heart. I can hardly think about the experience now without wanting to stop whatever I am doing to express my heartfelt thanks in prayer. I don’t know that I have ever felt so much gratitude for an answer to prayer before.
Another significant blessing that occurred prior to the play was my increased study on the topic of charity. I had been reading in the Book of Mormon in Moroni chapter 7 where Mormon explains that charity is so much more than giving of our excess to the poor. Charity is the pure love of Christ, and if you do not have charity, you are nothing. Mormon then invites us to “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this Love.” I took that counsel seriously and realized that I had never before prayed with that much effort to receive this specific gift. I knew what to do, but had never gone further.
Acting on the instruction I began to pray for charity. Again, I felt my life change as I felt and experienced the love of God greater than I ever had before. This time was different, however. I also felt that the increase was not for me, but was to be dispersed quickly. I was not the only intended recipient of that love. It was my task to help others to feel that love, so that they could feel and know the love of Father for them. I felt more like a conduit. The more I let it pass through me without obstacle, I witnessed greater blessings. Again this experience culminated with the performances of the play as I watched the thoughts, impressions, and feelings I had had portrayed on stage with others. I made many close friends and developed some cherished relationships.
In the weeks that followed the play, the two conditions I have described brought about a new range of experiences. I felt additional changes, socially, intellectually, and emotionally. Rapidly, and unpredictably, they were all tied together. Friendships deepened, as did my emotions. Inspired, I began to train for a marathon. Increased physical activity changed my metabolism and energy levels. Emotional ties motivated me to do more and be more. I found it easier to push harder towards my goals. However the highs I experienced were also followed by lows of uncertainty. Suddenly I realized that my very stable life was swaying up and down in a torrent of emotions. It was wonderful and terrible at the same time. Only recently have I recognized a few important lessons.
First of all, I have learned that when your cup runneth over, it can be a bit of a challenge to sort out the mess. I received a lot more than I ever asked for. Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. I have grown tremendously, and I have a new depth of experiences to reflect on. So much happened so quickly that I am still sorting the whole thing out.
Secondly, if you are aboard a small boat caught in the waves of a storm, you find yourself wondering what you are doing out in the water at a time like that. I fear that my ramblings about emotional mood swings would bore anyone to read. Yet I am hoping you can relate with the emotional tempests that each of us can have in our lives. They may not always be visible to the casual passerby, but they are real none the less.
Thirdly, I made a curious observation that my internal tempest had everything to do with my focus. When I was preoccupied with my own thoughts and feelings, I couldn’t help but pay more attention to the highs and lows. When I made an effort to focus outward, by serving others and focusing on their needs, the internal storm would calm. It was much like when Jesus and the apostles were out in the Sea of Galilee and He “rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.” When I choose to follow Him, I tend to have more of those experiences.
Lastly, I have learned that there is a greater purpose for things that we experience. Joseph Smith taught, “the spirit and the body are the soul of man,” (D&C 88:15) so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that one affects the other. Elder David A. Bednar recently taught that one purpose of the physical body is to amplify the spiritual experiences we can potentially have. He said, “Our physical bodies make possible a breadth, a depth, and an intensity of experience that simply could not be obtained” otherwise.
While I am still trying to process the whole experience, I think the over all effect has been much deeper and richer. I may not understand everything, but I can see more purpose in the storm, and I can now see a little more through it.
In the months leading up to the experience, I had experienced some physical limitations for about a year. I wondered if I would ever be the same again. I hoped, but I did not know what the outcome would be. When you have a difficult experience, it is natural to wonder if you will ever get back to normal. Then you start to question what normal is. Introspection begins and you can often find more questions than answers. Such was my experience, but that is a whole other story.
Just before we performed the musical production, I felt my life change and my physical limitations were removed. I was thankful that Father had heard my prayers and had granted the requested blessings, in His due time. Immense gratitude swelled in my heart. I can hardly think about the experience now without wanting to stop whatever I am doing to express my heartfelt thanks in prayer. I don’t know that I have ever felt so much gratitude for an answer to prayer before.
Another significant blessing that occurred prior to the play was my increased study on the topic of charity. I had been reading in the Book of Mormon in Moroni chapter 7 where Mormon explains that charity is so much more than giving of our excess to the poor. Charity is the pure love of Christ, and if you do not have charity, you are nothing. Mormon then invites us to “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this Love.” I took that counsel seriously and realized that I had never before prayed with that much effort to receive this specific gift. I knew what to do, but had never gone further.
Acting on the instruction I began to pray for charity. Again, I felt my life change as I felt and experienced the love of God greater than I ever had before. This time was different, however. I also felt that the increase was not for me, but was to be dispersed quickly. I was not the only intended recipient of that love. It was my task to help others to feel that love, so that they could feel and know the love of Father for them. I felt more like a conduit. The more I let it pass through me without obstacle, I witnessed greater blessings. Again this experience culminated with the performances of the play as I watched the thoughts, impressions, and feelings I had had portrayed on stage with others. I made many close friends and developed some cherished relationships.
In the weeks that followed the play, the two conditions I have described brought about a new range of experiences. I felt additional changes, socially, intellectually, and emotionally. Rapidly, and unpredictably, they were all tied together. Friendships deepened, as did my emotions. Inspired, I began to train for a marathon. Increased physical activity changed my metabolism and energy levels. Emotional ties motivated me to do more and be more. I found it easier to push harder towards my goals. However the highs I experienced were also followed by lows of uncertainty. Suddenly I realized that my very stable life was swaying up and down in a torrent of emotions. It was wonderful and terrible at the same time. Only recently have I recognized a few important lessons.
First of all, I have learned that when your cup runneth over, it can be a bit of a challenge to sort out the mess. I received a lot more than I ever asked for. Don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. I have grown tremendously, and I have a new depth of experiences to reflect on. So much happened so quickly that I am still sorting the whole thing out.
Secondly, if you are aboard a small boat caught in the waves of a storm, you find yourself wondering what you are doing out in the water at a time like that. I fear that my ramblings about emotional mood swings would bore anyone to read. Yet I am hoping you can relate with the emotional tempests that each of us can have in our lives. They may not always be visible to the casual passerby, but they are real none the less.
Thirdly, I made a curious observation that my internal tempest had everything to do with my focus. When I was preoccupied with my own thoughts and feelings, I couldn’t help but pay more attention to the highs and lows. When I made an effort to focus outward, by serving others and focusing on their needs, the internal storm would calm. It was much like when Jesus and the apostles were out in the Sea of Galilee and He “rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.” When I choose to follow Him, I tend to have more of those experiences.
Lastly, I have learned that there is a greater purpose for things that we experience. Joseph Smith taught, “the spirit and the body are the soul of man,” (D&C 88:15) so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that one affects the other. Elder David A. Bednar recently taught that one purpose of the physical body is to amplify the spiritual experiences we can potentially have. He said, “Our physical bodies make possible a breadth, a depth, and an intensity of experience that simply could not be obtained” otherwise.
While I am still trying to process the whole experience, I think the over all effect has been much deeper and richer. I may not understand everything, but I can see more purpose in the storm, and I can now see a little more through it.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Charity
A few years ago, my family and I were just leaving a theater when I noticed two men approaching from the other direction. I paused from our musings about the movie we had just seen and looked at the men. A quick glance informed me that they were homeless.
Sometimes In the past I have kept small change in my pocket in case a less fortunate individual asked me for money. On this occasion I was reluctant to interrupt the moment with my children. I knew one of the men was about to ask for something, so I averted my eyes and steered my children around them. We were nearly past when one muttered something about “that Mormon family.”
The man’s response was not the one I had expected. I was guilty and it hurt. What bothered me most was not the fact that I had avoided him, but that there was such a difference between us that he and I had judged each other so accurately.
I have since had occasion to reflect on the teachings of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 13:3, which says, “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”
When I was growing up, I would occasionally hear someone say they had given something to charity. I heard this same phrase used only a couple weeks ago. In either case, “giving something to charity” didn’t imply much of a sacrifice. What it really meant was casting off something that was excess or not needed.
The prophet Mormon taught, “charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever…. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love" which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ.” (Moroni 7:47-48)
Truly following the Savior Jesus Christ means sacrifice. It means loving others unconditionally as Jesus loves them. Charity, which is his love – a purer love – has the power to change lives, and not just touch them.
When I do give more than my excess, a small miracle happens. Somehow I seem to have more, not less. I find that my heart is larger, not smaller. My capacity to love is greater and I truly become more like the Savior. Let’s face it, sacrifice is never convenient or it wouldn’t be a sacrifice. I know that God loves his children. I also know that he allows us to feel some of his love, when we share ours.
I wasn’t much of a good Samaritan that day after the movie. Fortunately, for me, there is still time to change.
Sometimes In the past I have kept small change in my pocket in case a less fortunate individual asked me for money. On this occasion I was reluctant to interrupt the moment with my children. I knew one of the men was about to ask for something, so I averted my eyes and steered my children around them. We were nearly past when one muttered something about “that Mormon family.”
The man’s response was not the one I had expected. I was guilty and it hurt. What bothered me most was not the fact that I had avoided him, but that there was such a difference between us that he and I had judged each other so accurately.
I have since had occasion to reflect on the teachings of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 13:3, which says, “And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”
When I was growing up, I would occasionally hear someone say they had given something to charity. I heard this same phrase used only a couple weeks ago. In either case, “giving something to charity” didn’t imply much of a sacrifice. What it really meant was casting off something that was excess or not needed.
The prophet Mormon taught, “charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever…. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love" which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ.” (Moroni 7:47-48)
Truly following the Savior Jesus Christ means sacrifice. It means loving others unconditionally as Jesus loves them. Charity, which is his love – a purer love – has the power to change lives, and not just touch them.
When I do give more than my excess, a small miracle happens. Somehow I seem to have more, not less. I find that my heart is larger, not smaller. My capacity to love is greater and I truly become more like the Savior. Let’s face it, sacrifice is never convenient or it wouldn’t be a sacrifice. I know that God loves his children. I also know that he allows us to feel some of his love, when we share ours.
I wasn’t much of a good Samaritan that day after the movie. Fortunately, for me, there is still time to change.
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