There is often a difference between “being right” and “being righteous.” Wanting to be right isn’t a bad thing. This desire can stem from a desire to do good, to be obedient, and to be sure that the path we are on will take us to the right destination. It suggests that we are not only seeking good, but that we have found it, or at least some part that is worth holding on to. It may also be evidence that our faith has resulted in a knowledge of good and evil.
Our actions after we have found something good are what determine our own goodness. It is then that we find whether we match the goodness we have discovered, or if we merely admire something that is better than ourselves. I often sorrow for my own weaknesses when I have discovered the latter. Yet if I didn’t recognize this truth, I could never get past “being right” to “become" righteous.
I believe the desire for security to be innate in all of us. We want to be happy. We want to be successful, and we want the happiness we have found to continue. In order to do so, it is natural to guard what we have and what we know. We settle. We are willing to accept the little bit of success we have gained at the risk of forgetting there is much more. So, here lies the heart of the problem, and the difference between being right and being righteous. I have to be willing to ask myself a difficult question. “Am I protecting myself, my success, and my possessions, or am I protecting my ability to gain more truth?” My answer to this question should clearly define where I feel safe and show where my insecurities are.
Settling for a lesser truth can be very risky. Consider a difficult court case where a defendant is being tried for a serious offense. It is difficult to know whether the person is innocent, guilty, or merely negligent without proper evidence. If a verdict is determined too quickly based on a single piece of evidence, the judgment may not be fair. We may want to find a person either guilty or innocent, hoping for black and white clarity, when in fact the person may be some of each. I find that my imperfections put me in this camp more often than I would like. Just because I am trying to do what is right doesn’t mean I am completely right. Understanding this valuable truth will help me to turn to a more complete source. Personalizing this trial of faith will help me to understand that I have to defend truth without being personally defensive. If my own interests get in the way of the truth I am seeking, I become blinded and I stop seeing clearly.
In the coasts of Caesarea Philippi during his Galilean ministry, Jesus asked his disciples, “Whom say ye that I am?” Peter answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus then told Peter he was blessed because he had received this witness from the Father. Immediately after, Jesus began to teach those who were with him of the things he had to do as the Christ and Savior of the World. He told them how he would suffer and be killed. Peter quickly began to rebuke him, telling Jesus that this wouldn’t happen. Jesus’ response to Peter is a little disturbing. “Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” (Matthew 16:15-16, 22-23)
I feel for Peter. What a difficult thing to have just had a spiritual experience – to have born witness by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, to be told that the Church would be built upon the principles of revelation and priesthood keys, and that Peter himself would be given these as well as the sealing power to perform God’s work – and then to be told that you are Satan because you care not for the things that are God’s. I think if I had been in Peter’s shoes, I might have been a little confused and frightened. It would be easy to take the accusation personally without some degree of faith that Jesus was merely preparing Peter for something greater. Shortly after, Peter was given those keys as Moses, Elias, Elijah, and John the Baptist appeared to him on the mount of transfiguration. He continued to grow from grace to grace though he was not perfect. He learned how to see larger perspective through God’s eyes. He learned how to be trusted.
The struggle with self is perhaps the most difficult battle we will ever face. So much happens in the heart that goes unseen. Each of us places things that we treasure in our hearts. We make rooms for people who are important to us. We choose what we will think and how we will act by what we allow into our hearts. If we are selfish and self focused, we will savor the things of men rather than God. Yet if we enlarge our perspective so that our focus is on truth instead of our desires only, then self gets swallowed up in something greater. We become greater. Our outward beauty becomes a reflection of the change that takes place in our hearts. It demonstrates whether or not we have taken the Lord’s image into our own countenances.
Being swallowed up may sound like a negative thing, but this should not be compared to a hostile corporate takeover. Jesus invites us to come unto Him, so that we can follow Him and be with Him, He offers us a grand gift, to be a joint-heir of all that the Father has. He asks us to do what He has done. Offering ourselves up to be swallowed up in the will of the Lord is much like Jonah recognizing his mistakes, offering to be thrown off the ship only to be swallowed by the whale, and then be delivered safely. Had Jonah accepted this principle sooner, he could have swallowed his pride and been blessed instead of having to endure the stomach of a whale. Consider the sign of Jonah. (Matthew 16:4)
The prophet Abinadi foretold the difficult things Jesus would do during his ministry. Interestingly enough, it is the same thing that Jesus foretold to Peter. To King Noah he said, “And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God, 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 15:5-7) By yielding to the Holy Spirit and submitting our desires for sanctification and approval, we allow our will to be swallowed up in the will of the Father.
After Jesus chastened Peter, He taught him how to keep a clear perspective. He said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) His disciples hadn’t seen him carry his own cross yet, but would according to his word. We may assume that they had seen others crucified along the roads of Jerusalem who had born their own cross before receiving their final sentence of death. In this symbolic act, if we take up our own cross, we may do something difficult that acknowledges the death of the natural man so that we can more properly follow the Savior. Jesus continues, “And now for a man to take up his cross, is to deny himself of all ungodliness, and every worldly lust, and keep my commandments.” (JST Matthew 16:26)
Jesus spake of His Cross and His deliverance as things that had already happened. He was obedient to the Father at every step. He also taught how we could follow him without having to make the same sacrifice, if we would just be willing to do so and then do whatever else He asks of us. The account of this story is recorded slightly different in three of the four gospels of the New Testament. Each one adds some insight to keeping a proper perspective.
In Matthew we read, “Break not my commandments for to save your lives; for whosoever will save his life in this world, shall lose it in the world to come.” (JST Matthew 16:27) Less dire than saving our lives is an attempt to save a mortgage, pay a bill, or provide for our wants and needs by breaking the sabbath or withholding our tithes and offerings from the Lord. If we are tempted to break a commandment to provide for a want, will we not be judged more harshly than if we were trying to save our lives? Still, the instruction remains not to break the commandments to save our lives. Rather than judging others for their decisions, I feel we are better off judging our own intent to see if we are trying to be right or trying to be righteous. If we are unsure, the Lord will help us to know if we ask in faith.
“For whosoever will save his life in this world, shall lose it in the world to come. And whosoever will lose his life in this world, for my sake shall find it in the world to come. Therefore, forsake the world, and save your souls….” (JST Matthew 16:27-29) Jesus’ words here have everything to do with priority. Do I give too much voice to my current needs that I forget about the tomorrow of eternity? Am I so focused on self that I lose my perspective? What am I willing to offer to make sure this does not happen? I find when I am not only willing to ask these questions, but answer them with positive action and choices, my perspective enlarges and I feel closer to the Holy Spirit.
In Mark we read, “For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; or whosever will save his life, shall be willing to lay it down for my sake; and if he is not willing to lay it down for my sake, he shall lose it.” (JST Mark 8:37) This account reinforces that our willingness is most important. We may not have to give up everything. In fact, it is Father who wishes to give us everything, but He can only do it if our hearts are set upon Him instead of the things He wishes to give us. We have to be willing to endure and not settle for anything less than Him.
“In Luke we read, “For whosoever will save his life, must be willing to lose it for my sake; and whosoever will be willing to lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what doth it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and yet he receive him not whom God hath ordained, and he lose his own soul, and he himself be a castaway?” (JST Luke 9:24-25) Jesus enlarges this understanding beyond the will of the Father to include the words of those servants who have been called to teach us and chasten us. He does not ask that we give our lives in death, but to give our lives in service as we follow the Lord’s anointed. “Therefore deny yourselves of these, and be not ashamed of me.” (JST Mark 8:40)
On another occasion, Jesus taught this same principle and said, “Remember Lot’s wife. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” (Luke 17:32-33) He then continued to tell them of some of the signs of the second coming, how there would be two and one would be taken and one left behind. If we wish to have oil in our lamps when the bridegroom returns for the wedding, we should be willing to put self aside and purify our hearts.
Jesus Christ has shown the way to eternal life with the Father. He has taught us the truth and has paid the price for our sins. As we partake the emblems of His atoning sacrifice, and swallow them to become part of us, we demonstrate a willingness to let him into our core, into our heart. By so doing we swallow our pride and offer up our hearts and our desires to Him. This offering is not so that we will give up, suppress, or deny those God given desires, appetites, and passions, but to allow him to purge “self” from them, making them more pure and more powerful. This sanctification of our hearts removes selfishness and makes room for Him whose love is as broad as the universe.
The hardest decisions I will ever make will take place in my heart. I tend to have more fear when I can only see the instant of now and what I have to give up. When I understand the larger picture, my judgment is clearer and I am more likely to swallow and offer willingly. Recognizing that God is the only complete source for truth and happiness helps me to turn my focus from self and keep it on Him.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Showing posts with label Discipline. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Discipline. Show all posts
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
What a Mess!
My wife often jokes about the physical state of her work room. Like me, she is very project oriented. We are never bored because as soon as we finish one creative project, there are a dozen other things we want to do that are jockeying in the queue. Liz’s room is filled with tangible evidence of her process. You might say that everything there is “in process.” But that’s okay. Whether it is card making, scrapbooking, stamping, sewing, or cross-stitching, she does beautiful work, and she is not afraid to make a mess.
We used to share the workroom together. Her half of the room had files and boxes of photos, paper, scissors, pens, and important pieces of history that were waiting to be absorbed into a well crafted scrapbook. Liz also had drawers and bins of fabric, patterns, and notions such as zippers, ribbon, and buttons. My half had a different mess.
For about ten years I spent a great deal of my spare time working on a supposed epic novel with a beautiful heroine as the main character. My half of the room was filled with stacks of notes, folders of pictures, reference books, and sculptures. The walls were covered with sketches, story boards, illustrations, maps, and ideas. I had developed histories, family lines, and cultural definitions. I was completely immersed in plot and character development. Well… I was immersed whenever I entered the room. It was perfect for that purpose. I was surrounded by mess and process. The two went hand in hand and allowed me to learn faster than any other place. Now, however, the room is only used by my wife, and my process has been cleaned up.
The story is something that I am very passionate about. Someday I hope to get back to it. But, if I don’t, I will still be grateful for the work that I did there because the process was so valuable to me. It was a laboratory for thought that afforded me the opportunity to test out lots of ideas, both fictitious and real.
At a point in my life where circumstances changed for me, I found that I needed to put my interests on hold and I cleaned up my mess. While my hobby held my attention, my family and other obligations needed my time. So I carefully took my work down and shelved it in boxes. Certainly, it was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I do not regret it a bit. I would make the same decision if presented to me again and again. I realized then that there is an appropriate time for messes especially when they afford a process.
In contrast to the work room, our living room is much different in character. I read there, I pray there, and it affords me a different opportunity to focus without clutter. It contains possessions that define our family. In addition to comfortable seating, there are books, paintings, photographs, and musical instruments. This room has stricter rules of what is acceptable. Yes, from time to time this room may get messy, but I do not allow it to be so for very long because it is my sanctuary. When it gets messy, it no longer seems like mine and I feel like an outsider. It is not a museum or showcase, but the living room is a place to live in. I have found that to be more easily done when there is no mess there.
It is worth considering, and recognizing, that not all messes are bad. Some messes can be helpful, and some may be a detriment. Some we can control, and others control us. I believe that when we are able to act and define our messes, we are much better off than if we are acted upon by our messes because they limit our decisions. This is another example of how the evidence at hand comes back to intent. Similarly, while a process may be messy, there is a difference between clean messy and dirty messy. Consider the following.
In Mark chapter 7, a group of Pharisees and scribes found fault and criticized Jesus because his disciples ate bread without washing their hands. They stated that it was the tradition of the elders to wash, not only their hands, but also their cups, pots, brazen vessels, and tables, or they would not eat. Jesus’ response was quite poignant as he quoted Isaiah the prophet.
“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. … Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” (Mark 7:6-7,9) Jesus spoke not only of hands and dishes, but of commandments that the Pharisees professed to uphold and yet broke them. He returned criticism because they were focused on lesser things instead of the things of God.
Jesus continues, “There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him, which is food; but the things which come out of him; those are they that defile the man, that proceedeth forth out of the heart. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 7:15-16, JST Mark 7:15)
When His disciples could not understand Jesus’ teachings, he explained, “whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly….” He then lists a number of sins that proceed from the heart as evil thoughts and actions and states, “All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” (Mark 7:18-19, 23)
Perhaps it is a stretch to talk of the messes that occur in work rooms and living rooms, and then talk of the heart. Yet the heart also has rooms in which we store and keep things. Some things we lock up, and some things we share openly. I believe the heart to be more sacred, thus making an examination of the heart more important as to which messes are process and which may be detriments.
There may be times when our hearts and minds, both, are confused. They seem to be cluttered with information, circumstances, and the cry for decisions. A true disciple of Christ will not take such decisions lightly, or dismiss them too quickly. It is important for us to study them out carefully in the light of Christ so that we can make an appropriate decision.
Mormon taught us how to examine the clutter of confusion that can exist internally. “For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. ... And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.” (Moroni 7:16-18)
The key to whether the clutter in our hearts is just mess or process depends how the clutter got there. If I am confused solely because I lack wisdom and am unsure of my course, the clutter would suggest that I am on the cusp of taking a leap forward in my process – the process of becoming like Father. I may have an opportunity to grow if I am prepared to deal with the situation. On the other hand, if my heart is cluttered because I have judged incorrectly in the light of Christ, and have chosen that which is wrong, then my actions will testify against me. This would suggest that I welcomed clutter into my heart and chose mess for mess’s sake. This is the largest difference between sin and mistakes. One is deliberate, the other inadvertent.
Dallin H. Oaks of the Twelve Apostles taught that while both sins and mistakes can harm us, mistakes need correction but sins require repentance. They are not the same and do not require the same process to fix. Many of our decisions can be carefully weighed against the measure of bad, good, better, and best. Elder Oaks said, “For most of us, most of the time, the choice between good and bad is easy. What usually causes us difficulty is determining which uses of our time and influence are merely good, or better, or best. Applying that fact to the question of sins and mistakes, I would say that a deliberately wrong choice in the contest between what is clearly good and what is clearly bad is a sin, but a poor choice among things that are good, better, and best is merely a mistake.” (“Sins and Mistakes,” Ensign, Oct 1996, 62) Some of the clutter in our hearts is there deliberately, but has been invited by mistake.
Usually walking into a messy room is a choice; we see what the room is like before we enter. There are times in life, however, where we find ourselves in a confusing situation and we are left to wonder, “How did I get in such a mess?” The arrival at comprehension is an odd experience, as if we have just awoken from sleep walking.
If not all messes are bad, then understanding what kind of mess we are in can be very helpful. Whether it is by choice, by mistake, or due to conditions beyond our control, it is important for us to assess so that we can determine the best course for action. Consider these questions. How do I feel about the mess? Does it feel out of control or is the mess manageable? What do I plan to do with the mess? Does it bother me? Why? Am I apathetic towards the mess, and is it easier to pretend that it’s not there than to deal with it? Do I ever think, “I should clean this up,” without the intent of actually changing or doing anything about it? Would it make any difference if someone could help me through it, or help me clean it up?
If we feel in control, we will likely have a more positive attitude towards the situation. If we can get someone to help or encourage, it may be enough to change our attitude. If we recognize what we are up against, and have a plan of action, we can better deal with the messes life delivers at our feet.
When I watch Liz make dough to bake some bread, I observe that her process is very, very messy. She spreads oil over the counter to keep the dough from sticking. She grinds wheat to make flour which causes fine dust to spread. She prepares the dough with a mixer and then kneads it with her hands. Every time, however, the counter resumes to a smooth as glass condition without a trace of the mess. Liz is in control of the process and she has gotten very fast. You can’t make bread without making a mess. At the same time, it is hard to enjoy the bread unless you have a clean place to eat it. There is a place for both.
In my line of work as an architect, I spend a lot of time on construction sites to review progress. As I observe work that is being done, I see a lot of mess, and yet it isn’t. To the inexperienced it may look like chaos. To the general contractor who is responsible for the work, there is a process by which separate materials are put together to create a refined product. Watching a design take shape from seemingly nothing is always amazing. It is very rewarding. Sometimes we have to trust that Father is both the architect who has a master design for our lives, and He is the general contractor that is directing the work, making something refined and beautiful out of seemingly nothing. Life may get dusty, but if we put our faith in His plan, things will turn out better than we can possibly imagine.
I have found that it is often when I am immersed in a messy situation that I am capable of doing the most work. If I am surrounded by mess and chaos, I begin to despair. But, if my mess is full of process and I feel in control, then I can often learn faster than I will in any other place.
I’m glad that most often my work period includes a time to clean up. Much can be learned and understood when we clean up the rooms in our homes and the rooms in our hearts. Even in circumstances when, like my interest in writing a novel, I find that it is time to put something good aside for something better or best, I have a greater appreciation of the process, and I can enjoy a place that is swept clean of distraction. Many truths are formulated during the process. Then those same truths distill and refine when the mess is gone.
Referring back to the example of the Savior with the Pharisees, and the measurement of value described by Elder Oaks, we need to be very careful that we give our best attention to the appropriate messes. If we focus on less important distractions when there are more important issues at hand, we may be guilty of having an incorrect focus. When we decide it is time to clean up our messes, it can be possible to have a clean house and yet have cluttered relationships. We may find that we are perfectionists at cleaning messes in our homes, but not our hearts. Certainly I am not advocating that we have messy homes. I do believe we need to keep our priorities clear and our focus correct.
Both our hearts and our homes have appropriate work rooms and living rooms. We have places for messes and places for serenity. When some of those messes spread and start to consume our peace, we should remember that we are the offspring of God. Father has created us in His image. He has given us the potential and the power to become like Him. We do so when we begin to see the messes for what they are and we act upon them rather than letting them act upon us. Fortunately, when we are in over our heads in mess, Father can help. We can ask Him humbly in prayer and He will respond. Much like my own children who often make mistakes and messes, both, that are larger than they can manage, a simple “please” is usually enough to get my help. Father loves us much, much more than we are capable of loving our own children. He will help take care of our messes.
Because our lives are often messy and a work in progress, it helps to have a reminder that this is by design and we have no need to fear. The exception is when we choose to make messes for mess’s sake. Keeping work in the work room, and living in the living room has worked well for me. Note that I didn’t mention my garage. There is another work in progress, but I’ll leave that for another day.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
We used to share the workroom together. Her half of the room had files and boxes of photos, paper, scissors, pens, and important pieces of history that were waiting to be absorbed into a well crafted scrapbook. Liz also had drawers and bins of fabric, patterns, and notions such as zippers, ribbon, and buttons. My half had a different mess.
For about ten years I spent a great deal of my spare time working on a supposed epic novel with a beautiful heroine as the main character. My half of the room was filled with stacks of notes, folders of pictures, reference books, and sculptures. The walls were covered with sketches, story boards, illustrations, maps, and ideas. I had developed histories, family lines, and cultural definitions. I was completely immersed in plot and character development. Well… I was immersed whenever I entered the room. It was perfect for that purpose. I was surrounded by mess and process. The two went hand in hand and allowed me to learn faster than any other place. Now, however, the room is only used by my wife, and my process has been cleaned up.
The story is something that I am very passionate about. Someday I hope to get back to it. But, if I don’t, I will still be grateful for the work that I did there because the process was so valuable to me. It was a laboratory for thought that afforded me the opportunity to test out lots of ideas, both fictitious and real.
At a point in my life where circumstances changed for me, I found that I needed to put my interests on hold and I cleaned up my mess. While my hobby held my attention, my family and other obligations needed my time. So I carefully took my work down and shelved it in boxes. Certainly, it was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but I do not regret it a bit. I would make the same decision if presented to me again and again. I realized then that there is an appropriate time for messes especially when they afford a process.
In contrast to the work room, our living room is much different in character. I read there, I pray there, and it affords me a different opportunity to focus without clutter. It contains possessions that define our family. In addition to comfortable seating, there are books, paintings, photographs, and musical instruments. This room has stricter rules of what is acceptable. Yes, from time to time this room may get messy, but I do not allow it to be so for very long because it is my sanctuary. When it gets messy, it no longer seems like mine and I feel like an outsider. It is not a museum or showcase, but the living room is a place to live in. I have found that to be more easily done when there is no mess there.
It is worth considering, and recognizing, that not all messes are bad. Some messes can be helpful, and some may be a detriment. Some we can control, and others control us. I believe that when we are able to act and define our messes, we are much better off than if we are acted upon by our messes because they limit our decisions. This is another example of how the evidence at hand comes back to intent. Similarly, while a process may be messy, there is a difference between clean messy and dirty messy. Consider the following.
In Mark chapter 7, a group of Pharisees and scribes found fault and criticized Jesus because his disciples ate bread without washing their hands. They stated that it was the tradition of the elders to wash, not only their hands, but also their cups, pots, brazen vessels, and tables, or they would not eat. Jesus’ response was quite poignant as he quoted Isaiah the prophet.
“He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. … Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” (Mark 7:6-7,9) Jesus spoke not only of hands and dishes, but of commandments that the Pharisees professed to uphold and yet broke them. He returned criticism because they were focused on lesser things instead of the things of God.
Jesus continues, “There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him, which is food; but the things which come out of him; those are they that defile the man, that proceedeth forth out of the heart. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mark 7:15-16, JST Mark 7:15)
When His disciples could not understand Jesus’ teachings, he explained, “whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly….” He then lists a number of sins that proceed from the heart as evil thoughts and actions and states, “All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” (Mark 7:18-19, 23)
Perhaps it is a stretch to talk of the messes that occur in work rooms and living rooms, and then talk of the heart. Yet the heart also has rooms in which we store and keep things. Some things we lock up, and some things we share openly. I believe the heart to be more sacred, thus making an examination of the heart more important as to which messes are process and which may be detriments.
There may be times when our hearts and minds, both, are confused. They seem to be cluttered with information, circumstances, and the cry for decisions. A true disciple of Christ will not take such decisions lightly, or dismiss them too quickly. It is important for us to study them out carefully in the light of Christ so that we can make an appropriate decision.
Mormon taught us how to examine the clutter of confusion that can exist internally. “For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God. ... And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.” (Moroni 7:16-18)
The key to whether the clutter in our hearts is just mess or process depends how the clutter got there. If I am confused solely because I lack wisdom and am unsure of my course, the clutter would suggest that I am on the cusp of taking a leap forward in my process – the process of becoming like Father. I may have an opportunity to grow if I am prepared to deal with the situation. On the other hand, if my heart is cluttered because I have judged incorrectly in the light of Christ, and have chosen that which is wrong, then my actions will testify against me. This would suggest that I welcomed clutter into my heart and chose mess for mess’s sake. This is the largest difference between sin and mistakes. One is deliberate, the other inadvertent.
Dallin H. Oaks of the Twelve Apostles taught that while both sins and mistakes can harm us, mistakes need correction but sins require repentance. They are not the same and do not require the same process to fix. Many of our decisions can be carefully weighed against the measure of bad, good, better, and best. Elder Oaks said, “For most of us, most of the time, the choice between good and bad is easy. What usually causes us difficulty is determining which uses of our time and influence are merely good, or better, or best. Applying that fact to the question of sins and mistakes, I would say that a deliberately wrong choice in the contest between what is clearly good and what is clearly bad is a sin, but a poor choice among things that are good, better, and best is merely a mistake.” (“Sins and Mistakes,” Ensign, Oct 1996, 62) Some of the clutter in our hearts is there deliberately, but has been invited by mistake.
Usually walking into a messy room is a choice; we see what the room is like before we enter. There are times in life, however, where we find ourselves in a confusing situation and we are left to wonder, “How did I get in such a mess?” The arrival at comprehension is an odd experience, as if we have just awoken from sleep walking.
If not all messes are bad, then understanding what kind of mess we are in can be very helpful. Whether it is by choice, by mistake, or due to conditions beyond our control, it is important for us to assess so that we can determine the best course for action. Consider these questions. How do I feel about the mess? Does it feel out of control or is the mess manageable? What do I plan to do with the mess? Does it bother me? Why? Am I apathetic towards the mess, and is it easier to pretend that it’s not there than to deal with it? Do I ever think, “I should clean this up,” without the intent of actually changing or doing anything about it? Would it make any difference if someone could help me through it, or help me clean it up?
If we feel in control, we will likely have a more positive attitude towards the situation. If we can get someone to help or encourage, it may be enough to change our attitude. If we recognize what we are up against, and have a plan of action, we can better deal with the messes life delivers at our feet.
When I watch Liz make dough to bake some bread, I observe that her process is very, very messy. She spreads oil over the counter to keep the dough from sticking. She grinds wheat to make flour which causes fine dust to spread. She prepares the dough with a mixer and then kneads it with her hands. Every time, however, the counter resumes to a smooth as glass condition without a trace of the mess. Liz is in control of the process and she has gotten very fast. You can’t make bread without making a mess. At the same time, it is hard to enjoy the bread unless you have a clean place to eat it. There is a place for both.
In my line of work as an architect, I spend a lot of time on construction sites to review progress. As I observe work that is being done, I see a lot of mess, and yet it isn’t. To the inexperienced it may look like chaos. To the general contractor who is responsible for the work, there is a process by which separate materials are put together to create a refined product. Watching a design take shape from seemingly nothing is always amazing. It is very rewarding. Sometimes we have to trust that Father is both the architect who has a master design for our lives, and He is the general contractor that is directing the work, making something refined and beautiful out of seemingly nothing. Life may get dusty, but if we put our faith in His plan, things will turn out better than we can possibly imagine.
I have found that it is often when I am immersed in a messy situation that I am capable of doing the most work. If I am surrounded by mess and chaos, I begin to despair. But, if my mess is full of process and I feel in control, then I can often learn faster than I will in any other place.
I’m glad that most often my work period includes a time to clean up. Much can be learned and understood when we clean up the rooms in our homes and the rooms in our hearts. Even in circumstances when, like my interest in writing a novel, I find that it is time to put something good aside for something better or best, I have a greater appreciation of the process, and I can enjoy a place that is swept clean of distraction. Many truths are formulated during the process. Then those same truths distill and refine when the mess is gone.
Referring back to the example of the Savior with the Pharisees, and the measurement of value described by Elder Oaks, we need to be very careful that we give our best attention to the appropriate messes. If we focus on less important distractions when there are more important issues at hand, we may be guilty of having an incorrect focus. When we decide it is time to clean up our messes, it can be possible to have a clean house and yet have cluttered relationships. We may find that we are perfectionists at cleaning messes in our homes, but not our hearts. Certainly I am not advocating that we have messy homes. I do believe we need to keep our priorities clear and our focus correct.
Both our hearts and our homes have appropriate work rooms and living rooms. We have places for messes and places for serenity. When some of those messes spread and start to consume our peace, we should remember that we are the offspring of God. Father has created us in His image. He has given us the potential and the power to become like Him. We do so when we begin to see the messes for what they are and we act upon them rather than letting them act upon us. Fortunately, when we are in over our heads in mess, Father can help. We can ask Him humbly in prayer and He will respond. Much like my own children who often make mistakes and messes, both, that are larger than they can manage, a simple “please” is usually enough to get my help. Father loves us much, much more than we are capable of loving our own children. He will help take care of our messes.
Because our lives are often messy and a work in progress, it helps to have a reminder that this is by design and we have no need to fear. The exception is when we choose to make messes for mess’s sake. Keeping work in the work room, and living in the living room has worked well for me. Note that I didn’t mention my garage. There is another work in progress, but I’ll leave that for another day.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Passing Opportunities
In keeping with my focus last week, I made a new friend this morning. What a great way to start the year! It was a remarkable encounter. At my request, this new friend gave some advice to me, as well as his gratitude for my wife whom he has never met. He passed on some of his experience and I was uplifted. He offered to help me with anything, and I believe him.
Yesterday, I received word that a friend of mine had just passed away after struggling with cancer. Gratefully, my memory of him has not yet passed. It warms my heart to have known him, to see his strength, and to have shared common experiences. I am grateful for the time I could be in his home.
Another friend recently went through the process of taking and passing the examinations to become a licensed architect. I was happy to congratulate him on his successful accomplishment. I knew what that was like, to prepare and to achieve. What a great feeling to pass!
Thinking about each of my friends this morning prompted me to consider a tangential thought that has been on my mind of late. Passing. I have found that the word pass is used in many varied contexts. In fact, a quick internet search led me to identify over eighty-five different uses for the word “pass.”
Passing is often an action that I may do or allow. To pass can mean to go by, across, over, or beyond. It may also mean to let go, or allow something to go, such as passing on or declining an invitation.
I think it is ironic that one word can have two related meanings and yet be opposites. If I pass on some sort of information to another person, my actions suggest that I approve enough to give it to them. But, if I pass on an opportunity, this usually means that I don’t approve enough to accept. It is this duality that makes me curious – to “pass something on” or to “pass” on something is a choice between allowing and declining.
Looking at the children my wife and I have, there is tangible evidence that we have passed on more than good looks (and I’ll let you be the judge of whether or not we have done that.) Our kids have picked up our habits, interests, humor, sarcasm, likes, and dislikes. Perhaps they haven’t picked up all of them, but they have caught enough to know that there is more to passing than genetics. This leads to another definition of the word.
Pass can also mean circulate, disseminate, spread, convey, transfer, or transmit. Intentional or not, this meaning has a lot to do with what we communicate to others, or what we think valuable enough to share. I recalled another childhood memory the other day that seemed to fit this meaning so well that I hope you can relate. It is all about the Parker Brothers’ game of Pit.
One Christmas when I was small, I remember receiving a magnificent gift. My grandparents had given me a toy helicopter with multiple spinning propellers. It was a wonderful present in my eyes, but it hasn’t lasted as long as the memory of what happened next. After we finished unwrapping presents at their home, Grandma had pumpkin pie waiting in the adjacent room. We ate and then proceeded to play a game of Pit that was totally unfamiliar to me. If you haven’t played, let me sum up.
Pit is a card game of exchange. A deck of cards marked with different grains (flax, hay, oats, rye, corn, barley, and wheat) are dealt to those playing the game. Each player attempts to trade their cards to acquire a hand of a single commodity. In this game, there are no turns. Once the game begins, players begin making offers with anyone who will trade cards with them; three oats for three barley, or two flax for two wheat. The person making an offer has to find “value cards” that are of some worth to another player, or they will find themselves short of making any deals. The first player to acquire all nine cards of one grain rings a bell ending the round.
In addition to these commodities, there are two other cards that are shuffled into the deck and dealt as part of the game. One is a bear, and the other is a bull. The bull is a wild card. If a person has the bull when they acquire all nine cards of one grain, they double their points for that round. However, one left with the bull who is not successful at obtaining a full hand loses points. Similarly, anyone left with the bear cannot win the game, and they also lose points. While the bull may be of value, the bear never is. When a player trades the bear or the bull to someone else without their knowing, this is referred to as “slipping the bear” or “slipping the bull.”
Now that I have told you how to play the game, you can forget most of it. What I hope you will remember is that the players are about to exchange cards with other players. Everyone is looking for something, particularly cards that are of value to them. Everyone is looking for someone who will trade those cards with them. It feels good when you make a good trade, but not so good if someone slips you the bear. The former makes a good friend, while the latter is less so.
I didn’t really see the point when I first played the game. In fact, I was probably a sore loser because someone slipped me the bear and I didn’t know what to do with it. To be honest, I can’t remember. Since then, the point of the game has increased in value to me as I think about the opportunity of sharing things of value with others.
Consider two people who engage in a conversation. Both hope to gain something by sharing. The conversation may not last very long unless both people feel rewarded, that is, if they both feel they gain something of value for sharing. The difference between the game of Pit and the game of conversation is that I don’t feel like I have to acquire a full hand of the same card in order to talk to someone. Instead, I am merely looking for valuable cards. In fact, I am often willing to trade five of my valuable cards for a single card that is of value to a friend. The card they have to offer may not even be a card I have seen before, but knowing the card is of value to them makes a lot of difference to me. I prize it more because they were sharing something that meant a lot to them. The more important the card is to the person I am talking with, the deeper I value the conversation. I don’t mind offering more as long as I know the cards I offer will be well received.
Occasionally you may meet someone who wishes to talk to you who intends to slip you the bear. They may not be interested in sharing something of value. Instead, they may only be looking for someone who will listen to their complaints. I don’t mind hearing about someone’s complaints if they are looking for help, especially if I can do something about it. However, when someone shares something just so they can get it off of their back and onto mine, I feel like I have been “slipped a bear.” This is a frustrating moment when the bell rings, the conversation is over, and you are left holding a yucky card. I have decided that I don’t like playing that sort of game.
Since the game of life has different rules for winning than the game of Pit, namely the golden rule – do unto others as you would have them do unto you – I have made a personal decision to only play cards I think will have value to someone else. I look for ways to increase the value of the conversation. I hope I can offer more than I expect in return because I know that what goes around comes around. Besides, the Savior taught, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40) I try to be careful not to slip someone else the bear.
It seems funny to me that in some settings common sense is more common than others. For instance, most people with any consideration will use caution if they have a contagious illness. Someone with a common cold will refrain from shaking hands or touching someone else if they are carrying germs. They are careful not to pass on something that may harm a friend or a stranger. There are times, I believe most often unintentionally, that we are less cautious with information that may be compared to a common cold.
The headlines of newspapers are full of sensational information. The story may be unique, or it may even be strange or unusual, but this does not always equate to valuable in my book. News does not always mean valuable. New only suggests current. It is not uncommon to pass on information that we refer to as current events without consideration to whether or not it will be of value to the person we are sharing it with.
This idea of news may also be applied to gossip, rumors, or even things that may be true but will have no positive effect on others. Just because something happened doesn’t mean it was entirely helpful. Sadly, though, we are more careful about passing a newly acquired illness, such as a cough or a cold. In fact, it is not uncommon to wash one’s hands clean of the germs to make sure that contamination is not spread. For times such as these, it may be prudent to have your own little container of hand sanitizer to help wash your hands of contaminated information, no matter how true it is.
The Lord gave Joseph Smith instruction on how to share with others most effectively. His way always includes an invitation for the Holy Ghost. While His pattern was specific to sharing His message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, there is some application in every conversation of His disciples. The Lord said, “Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question—unto what were ye ordained? To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth.” (D&C 50:13-14)
There are some truths that merit the witness of the Holy Ghost. Truths about God, His plan for His children, the divine role of the Savior Jesus Christ and His atonement, or truths that are taught by His servants all invite the divine witness of the Holy Ghost. While there are other facts that are true, such as the color of the sky or the injustice committed by a stranger, these truths may not merit a divine witness. Here then is another meaning of value.
The Lord continues, “Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth? Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.” (D&C 50:21-22)
Valuable information should uplift and edify both the one offering the information and the one receiving it. The beauty of sharing cards of greater value, especially spiritual value, is that there is a greater likelihood that we will invite the Holy Spirit into our lives. When we do, our lives become better.
Jesus continues with a warning and a charge, “And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness. That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” (D&C 50:23-24)
As we learn to play this game the way Father intended us to play, we will find that our cards are replenished. As we offer cards of value to others, we will not run out. On the contrary, the cards we have to offer are increased. As we focus on Him, our cards become more valuable and more desirable. Jesus refers to this value as light, or His light, the light of Christ. We gain more light as we seek it and as we share it. The light of the Son is always available unless we shut our eyes to it. But we can only focus on one thing at a time. We can focus on the strange and unique, or we can look to God and live.
A true disciple will be careful of what he or she receives. This same disciple will then be careful what he or she imparts to others, to make sure that a brother, a sister, a friend, or a stranger has every opportunity to win the game. It’s a nice game when everyone can win without having to have a loser. This doesn’t mean that all players settle for sameness. Each can have a perfect brightness of hope with every opportunity for a brighter day.
Passing through life comes with the opportunity to pass on what makes us happy. A passage often refers to a way or connection from somewhere or something. What will you allow yourself to be connected to? To whom will you trade things of greater value? What kind of game are you interested in playing? It is a choice of allowing things of value and declining those that aren’t. The question, “What will you pass on?” can have two meanings. Personally, I prefer passing opportunities to others rather than slipping the bear. I would rather accept the opportunity to do good rather than pass. A game with “high value cards” is my kind of game. It results in relationships that are deeper and more meaningful.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Yesterday, I received word that a friend of mine had just passed away after struggling with cancer. Gratefully, my memory of him has not yet passed. It warms my heart to have known him, to see his strength, and to have shared common experiences. I am grateful for the time I could be in his home.
Another friend recently went through the process of taking and passing the examinations to become a licensed architect. I was happy to congratulate him on his successful accomplishment. I knew what that was like, to prepare and to achieve. What a great feeling to pass!
Thinking about each of my friends this morning prompted me to consider a tangential thought that has been on my mind of late. Passing. I have found that the word pass is used in many varied contexts. In fact, a quick internet search led me to identify over eighty-five different uses for the word “pass.”
Passing is often an action that I may do or allow. To pass can mean to go by, across, over, or beyond. It may also mean to let go, or allow something to go, such as passing on or declining an invitation.
I think it is ironic that one word can have two related meanings and yet be opposites. If I pass on some sort of information to another person, my actions suggest that I approve enough to give it to them. But, if I pass on an opportunity, this usually means that I don’t approve enough to accept. It is this duality that makes me curious – to “pass something on” or to “pass” on something is a choice between allowing and declining.
Looking at the children my wife and I have, there is tangible evidence that we have passed on more than good looks (and I’ll let you be the judge of whether or not we have done that.) Our kids have picked up our habits, interests, humor, sarcasm, likes, and dislikes. Perhaps they haven’t picked up all of them, but they have caught enough to know that there is more to passing than genetics. This leads to another definition of the word.
Pass can also mean circulate, disseminate, spread, convey, transfer, or transmit. Intentional or not, this meaning has a lot to do with what we communicate to others, or what we think valuable enough to share. I recalled another childhood memory the other day that seemed to fit this meaning so well that I hope you can relate. It is all about the Parker Brothers’ game of Pit.
One Christmas when I was small, I remember receiving a magnificent gift. My grandparents had given me a toy helicopter with multiple spinning propellers. It was a wonderful present in my eyes, but it hasn’t lasted as long as the memory of what happened next. After we finished unwrapping presents at their home, Grandma had pumpkin pie waiting in the adjacent room. We ate and then proceeded to play a game of Pit that was totally unfamiliar to me. If you haven’t played, let me sum up.
Pit is a card game of exchange. A deck of cards marked with different grains (flax, hay, oats, rye, corn, barley, and wheat) are dealt to those playing the game. Each player attempts to trade their cards to acquire a hand of a single commodity. In this game, there are no turns. Once the game begins, players begin making offers with anyone who will trade cards with them; three oats for three barley, or two flax for two wheat. The person making an offer has to find “value cards” that are of some worth to another player, or they will find themselves short of making any deals. The first player to acquire all nine cards of one grain rings a bell ending the round.
In addition to these commodities, there are two other cards that are shuffled into the deck and dealt as part of the game. One is a bear, and the other is a bull. The bull is a wild card. If a person has the bull when they acquire all nine cards of one grain, they double their points for that round. However, one left with the bull who is not successful at obtaining a full hand loses points. Similarly, anyone left with the bear cannot win the game, and they also lose points. While the bull may be of value, the bear never is. When a player trades the bear or the bull to someone else without their knowing, this is referred to as “slipping the bear” or “slipping the bull.”
Now that I have told you how to play the game, you can forget most of it. What I hope you will remember is that the players are about to exchange cards with other players. Everyone is looking for something, particularly cards that are of value to them. Everyone is looking for someone who will trade those cards with them. It feels good when you make a good trade, but not so good if someone slips you the bear. The former makes a good friend, while the latter is less so.
I didn’t really see the point when I first played the game. In fact, I was probably a sore loser because someone slipped me the bear and I didn’t know what to do with it. To be honest, I can’t remember. Since then, the point of the game has increased in value to me as I think about the opportunity of sharing things of value with others.
Consider two people who engage in a conversation. Both hope to gain something by sharing. The conversation may not last very long unless both people feel rewarded, that is, if they both feel they gain something of value for sharing. The difference between the game of Pit and the game of conversation is that I don’t feel like I have to acquire a full hand of the same card in order to talk to someone. Instead, I am merely looking for valuable cards. In fact, I am often willing to trade five of my valuable cards for a single card that is of value to a friend. The card they have to offer may not even be a card I have seen before, but knowing the card is of value to them makes a lot of difference to me. I prize it more because they were sharing something that meant a lot to them. The more important the card is to the person I am talking with, the deeper I value the conversation. I don’t mind offering more as long as I know the cards I offer will be well received.
Occasionally you may meet someone who wishes to talk to you who intends to slip you the bear. They may not be interested in sharing something of value. Instead, they may only be looking for someone who will listen to their complaints. I don’t mind hearing about someone’s complaints if they are looking for help, especially if I can do something about it. However, when someone shares something just so they can get it off of their back and onto mine, I feel like I have been “slipped a bear.” This is a frustrating moment when the bell rings, the conversation is over, and you are left holding a yucky card. I have decided that I don’t like playing that sort of game.
Since the game of life has different rules for winning than the game of Pit, namely the golden rule – do unto others as you would have them do unto you – I have made a personal decision to only play cards I think will have value to someone else. I look for ways to increase the value of the conversation. I hope I can offer more than I expect in return because I know that what goes around comes around. Besides, the Savior taught, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” (Matthew 25:40) I try to be careful not to slip someone else the bear.
It seems funny to me that in some settings common sense is more common than others. For instance, most people with any consideration will use caution if they have a contagious illness. Someone with a common cold will refrain from shaking hands or touching someone else if they are carrying germs. They are careful not to pass on something that may harm a friend or a stranger. There are times, I believe most often unintentionally, that we are less cautious with information that may be compared to a common cold.
The headlines of newspapers are full of sensational information. The story may be unique, or it may even be strange or unusual, but this does not always equate to valuable in my book. News does not always mean valuable. New only suggests current. It is not uncommon to pass on information that we refer to as current events without consideration to whether or not it will be of value to the person we are sharing it with.
This idea of news may also be applied to gossip, rumors, or even things that may be true but will have no positive effect on others. Just because something happened doesn’t mean it was entirely helpful. Sadly, though, we are more careful about passing a newly acquired illness, such as a cough or a cold. In fact, it is not uncommon to wash one’s hands clean of the germs to make sure that contamination is not spread. For times such as these, it may be prudent to have your own little container of hand sanitizer to help wash your hands of contaminated information, no matter how true it is.
The Lord gave Joseph Smith instruction on how to share with others most effectively. His way always includes an invitation for the Holy Ghost. While His pattern was specific to sharing His message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, there is some application in every conversation of His disciples. The Lord said, “Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question—unto what were ye ordained? To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth.” (D&C 50:13-14)
There are some truths that merit the witness of the Holy Ghost. Truths about God, His plan for His children, the divine role of the Savior Jesus Christ and His atonement, or truths that are taught by His servants all invite the divine witness of the Holy Ghost. While there are other facts that are true, such as the color of the sky or the injustice committed by a stranger, these truths may not merit a divine witness. Here then is another meaning of value.
The Lord continues, “Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the Spirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth? Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together.” (D&C 50:21-22)
Valuable information should uplift and edify both the one offering the information and the one receiving it. The beauty of sharing cards of greater value, especially spiritual value, is that there is a greater likelihood that we will invite the Holy Spirit into our lives. When we do, our lives become better.
Jesus continues with a warning and a charge, “And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness. That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” (D&C 50:23-24)
As we learn to play this game the way Father intended us to play, we will find that our cards are replenished. As we offer cards of value to others, we will not run out. On the contrary, the cards we have to offer are increased. As we focus on Him, our cards become more valuable and more desirable. Jesus refers to this value as light, or His light, the light of Christ. We gain more light as we seek it and as we share it. The light of the Son is always available unless we shut our eyes to it. But we can only focus on one thing at a time. We can focus on the strange and unique, or we can look to God and live.
A true disciple will be careful of what he or she receives. This same disciple will then be careful what he or she imparts to others, to make sure that a brother, a sister, a friend, or a stranger has every opportunity to win the game. It’s a nice game when everyone can win without having to have a loser. This doesn’t mean that all players settle for sameness. Each can have a perfect brightness of hope with every opportunity for a brighter day.
Passing through life comes with the opportunity to pass on what makes us happy. A passage often refers to a way or connection from somewhere or something. What will you allow yourself to be connected to? To whom will you trade things of greater value? What kind of game are you interested in playing? It is a choice of allowing things of value and declining those that aren’t. The question, “What will you pass on?” can have two meanings. Personally, I prefer passing opportunities to others rather than slipping the bear. I would rather accept the opportunity to do good rather than pass. A game with “high value cards” is my kind of game. It results in relationships that are deeper and more meaningful.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Pianos and Heartstrings
The piano in the living room of our home had never been tuned until a few weeks ago. A good tuning was long over due. I say this, not because it made a terrible noise, but because the piano happens to be older than I am.
Before finding a new home, the simple but warm piano used to stand against the wall of a very small room in my parents house where I grew up. The room, adjacent to our living room, was part of a small addition Dad had built on the house. Besides the piano and bench, the only other things in the crowded room were a small bookshelf, a lounge chair, and a lamp. It was a cozy place to sit and read, or listen to your sister play the piano.
I have some fond memories of that piano. I never really learned to play it very well, but I pretended to be a composer of cacophony when I was little. I would bang on things I am not certain even qualify as chords, let alone harmonies, and I would sing made up songs to my accompaniments. I had a very small audience. Mom would occasionally remind me that I had other things to do besides play the piano. She was patient with my unwritten compositions.
At the recommendation of a close friend, we had a piano tuner come look at our upright. The tuning took twice as long as he expected and it required two separate visits. He vacuumed out the inside of the piano and found no less than a full inch of dust that had collected on the bottom of the inside. It was very intriguing to watch the piano dismantled enough to tune each of the strings.
Previously, I thought our piano sounded fine, especially when played by someone with talent. Its relative pitch had been fairly good because all of the tones had gone flat together, making the need to fix it less apparent. Now that it has been tuned, it sounds much, much better.
I realize now that my original appraisal was based on the fact that I was comfortable with the sound and was simply used to it. There is a lot to be said for familiarity. When we are very familiar with something, or someone, it is easy to overlook small quirks and irregularities, particularly if it is something we are fond of. I was used to the piano being out of tune, so it didn’t seem out of tune. It merely seemed like what it was – our good old upright piano. This says a lot to me about the things or people we become familiar with.
Our oldest son seems to show the most interest in playing the piano now. He has become quite proficient at it too. He can sit down at the bench, place his feet on the pedals with his hands on the keys, and something wonderful begins to happen. This instrument of wood, string, and connections changes me. He will play things I could never dream of at his age. As he does, I begin to daydream and his music takes me to places I have not been. Music is powerful that way.
For many years I have reflected on this power of music. I can’t explain why it does what it does, but I feel it. I have heard music that has changed my feelings and mood. I have sung music that has caused me to swell with emotion. I have experienced music that has moved my heart to action. There is something unique about music that causes it to resonate in my heart. Because it does, I have recognized that there are two sounding boards at work, one in the piano and the other inside me. This observation has led me to believe that both the piano and the heart are powerful instruments.
A friend of mine, Allan Smith, recently taught me about resonance. Allan is a sound engineer who has a passion for physics. We both work on buildings and share an interest in architectural spaces. His fascination with how things resonate has intrigued me enough to share his interest in physics and look a little closer at instruments.
One reason a piano sounds as beautiful as it does (or can, once it is tuned) is because of a component called the sounding board. The sounding board of a stringed instrument is typically, but not always, a hard surface. It takes the vibrations of a string and amplifies them to create a more audible sound. As the hard surface experiences the gentle vibrations of the string, it begins to vibrate at the same frequency. The sounding board takes the vibration and gives it a larger effect.
Personally speaking, I think our actions are really the sounding board for our hearts. They definitely resonate at the same frequency as our desires and usually reflect what is deep inside. While our hearts perform best when they are not hard, our examples resonate best when they are firm with resolve. At least, those are the examples that resonate best with me. Without the sounding board, the heart has little effect on others. But with it, the heart can do amazing things, for good or not.
When we are properly tuned, we will hear beautiful things. To tune an instrument, the one performing the work will compare and adjust the instrument to meet a standard. Inside a piano, the keys are connected to little hammers that touch the strings causing them to vibrate. For ourselves, the little promptings of the Holy Ghost may touch our hearts, causing them to vibrate, move, enlarge, and even swell. It doesn’t take much if we are in tune and ready to receive. When we are properly tuned with the promptings of the Holy Ghost, it is easier to be in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel.
When something powerful touches our heart, it resonates within us. You might say that, “It rings true.” This happens for a few different reasons. First, one role of the Holy Ghost is to testify of truth. When we feel truth, we can also feel the witness of the Spirit. We can feel it resonate. Secondly, the Holy Ghost will bring all things to our remembrance. This happens “within us,” within our realm of experience both in this life and the life before. Resonance has a lot to do with familiarity. The more familiar we are with the truths of the gospel, the more they will strike a cord with what we know and have experienced. Our taste in this music increases and grows with time and repetition, layer by layer, and line upon line. As our examples resemble that of the Savior, Jesus Christ, the familiarity with which we know Him will ring clearer and clearer.
Following the resurrection of Jesus Christ, He walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus and taught them. After He dined with them, their eyes were opened and the things they had been taught resonated true. “And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures.” (Luke 24:32) Their hearts, properly tuned, were instruments that allowed each of them to feel the power of His word.
In the Book of Mormon, the Prophet Alma compares the word of God to a seed. For the purpose of this comparison, we may use this example to see what happens when truths are placed in our hearts to see how they will resonate. If we are in tune, and we seek to be in harmony with God, Alma teaches that the word of God will begin to swell within us, “and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that… the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.” (Alma 32:28) It will resonate within your heart.
The term heartstrings often refers to things that pull at our hearts, or our desires. These strings cannot pull much unless they are tight from tension, connecting our desires and our actions. When the Holy Spirit touches our heartstrings, we will see very quickly whether or not we are in tune with the standard of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we have a sound understanding and seek to do the will of the Father, we will likely feel at peace. If our hearts are not quite aligned, we may feel discord or cacophony, suggesting that we need to realign our hearts and have them tuned.
A simple test to see if we need a tune up, is to ask the questions, “Am I willing to put God first? Am I willing to yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit? Am I willing to submit to Father and undergo a change that will make me more like Him?” If we are not willing, a follow up question of, “why,” may suggest which strings need to be adjusted most. Hopefully, for most of us, it is only a few strings that are out of key and not the whole piano.
The prophet Alma further teaches us that being willing to experience this change of heart is synonymous to being spiritually born of God. This change allows us to receive the image of God within our countenances. He then asks a telling question, “if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?” (Alma 5:14, 26) This suggests to me that even though we have done good things in the past, and have felt the desire to serve God, our hearts are in need of constant tuning.
One thing that can help us to maintain these strong feelings in our hearts is to stay close to the Lord. If we remain steadfast and anchor our hearts with our faith in God, it is harder for them to wander. It is harder for them to slacken and get out of key. Tying our heartstrings to the will of God is the safest way to keep them properly tuned.
I have fond memories of our old upright in the small room of my parent’s home. I have newer memories of my son playing the same piano, properly tuned. With a little bit of care and attention the instrument is performing better than ever, ready for the next song to be discovered.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Before finding a new home, the simple but warm piano used to stand against the wall of a very small room in my parents house where I grew up. The room, adjacent to our living room, was part of a small addition Dad had built on the house. Besides the piano and bench, the only other things in the crowded room were a small bookshelf, a lounge chair, and a lamp. It was a cozy place to sit and read, or listen to your sister play the piano.
I have some fond memories of that piano. I never really learned to play it very well, but I pretended to be a composer of cacophony when I was little. I would bang on things I am not certain even qualify as chords, let alone harmonies, and I would sing made up songs to my accompaniments. I had a very small audience. Mom would occasionally remind me that I had other things to do besides play the piano. She was patient with my unwritten compositions.
At the recommendation of a close friend, we had a piano tuner come look at our upright. The tuning took twice as long as he expected and it required two separate visits. He vacuumed out the inside of the piano and found no less than a full inch of dust that had collected on the bottom of the inside. It was very intriguing to watch the piano dismantled enough to tune each of the strings.
Previously, I thought our piano sounded fine, especially when played by someone with talent. Its relative pitch had been fairly good because all of the tones had gone flat together, making the need to fix it less apparent. Now that it has been tuned, it sounds much, much better.
I realize now that my original appraisal was based on the fact that I was comfortable with the sound and was simply used to it. There is a lot to be said for familiarity. When we are very familiar with something, or someone, it is easy to overlook small quirks and irregularities, particularly if it is something we are fond of. I was used to the piano being out of tune, so it didn’t seem out of tune. It merely seemed like what it was – our good old upright piano. This says a lot to me about the things or people we become familiar with.
Our oldest son seems to show the most interest in playing the piano now. He has become quite proficient at it too. He can sit down at the bench, place his feet on the pedals with his hands on the keys, and something wonderful begins to happen. This instrument of wood, string, and connections changes me. He will play things I could never dream of at his age. As he does, I begin to daydream and his music takes me to places I have not been. Music is powerful that way.
For many years I have reflected on this power of music. I can’t explain why it does what it does, but I feel it. I have heard music that has changed my feelings and mood. I have sung music that has caused me to swell with emotion. I have experienced music that has moved my heart to action. There is something unique about music that causes it to resonate in my heart. Because it does, I have recognized that there are two sounding boards at work, one in the piano and the other inside me. This observation has led me to believe that both the piano and the heart are powerful instruments.
A friend of mine, Allan Smith, recently taught me about resonance. Allan is a sound engineer who has a passion for physics. We both work on buildings and share an interest in architectural spaces. His fascination with how things resonate has intrigued me enough to share his interest in physics and look a little closer at instruments.
One reason a piano sounds as beautiful as it does (or can, once it is tuned) is because of a component called the sounding board. The sounding board of a stringed instrument is typically, but not always, a hard surface. It takes the vibrations of a string and amplifies them to create a more audible sound. As the hard surface experiences the gentle vibrations of the string, it begins to vibrate at the same frequency. The sounding board takes the vibration and gives it a larger effect.
Personally speaking, I think our actions are really the sounding board for our hearts. They definitely resonate at the same frequency as our desires and usually reflect what is deep inside. While our hearts perform best when they are not hard, our examples resonate best when they are firm with resolve. At least, those are the examples that resonate best with me. Without the sounding board, the heart has little effect on others. But with it, the heart can do amazing things, for good or not.
When we are properly tuned, we will hear beautiful things. To tune an instrument, the one performing the work will compare and adjust the instrument to meet a standard. Inside a piano, the keys are connected to little hammers that touch the strings causing them to vibrate. For ourselves, the little promptings of the Holy Ghost may touch our hearts, causing them to vibrate, move, enlarge, and even swell. It doesn’t take much if we are in tune and ready to receive. When we are properly tuned with the promptings of the Holy Ghost, it is easier to be in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel.
When something powerful touches our heart, it resonates within us. You might say that, “It rings true.” This happens for a few different reasons. First, one role of the Holy Ghost is to testify of truth. When we feel truth, we can also feel the witness of the Spirit. We can feel it resonate. Secondly, the Holy Ghost will bring all things to our remembrance. This happens “within us,” within our realm of experience both in this life and the life before. Resonance has a lot to do with familiarity. The more familiar we are with the truths of the gospel, the more they will strike a cord with what we know and have experienced. Our taste in this music increases and grows with time and repetition, layer by layer, and line upon line. As our examples resemble that of the Savior, Jesus Christ, the familiarity with which we know Him will ring clearer and clearer.
Following the resurrection of Jesus Christ, He walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus and taught them. After He dined with them, their eyes were opened and the things they had been taught resonated true. “And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures.” (Luke 24:32) Their hearts, properly tuned, were instruments that allowed each of them to feel the power of His word.
In the Book of Mormon, the Prophet Alma compares the word of God to a seed. For the purpose of this comparison, we may use this example to see what happens when truths are placed in our hearts to see how they will resonate. If we are in tune, and we seek to be in harmony with God, Alma teaches that the word of God will begin to swell within us, “and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that… the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.” (Alma 32:28) It will resonate within your heart.
The term heartstrings often refers to things that pull at our hearts, or our desires. These strings cannot pull much unless they are tight from tension, connecting our desires and our actions. When the Holy Spirit touches our heartstrings, we will see very quickly whether or not we are in tune with the standard of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we have a sound understanding and seek to do the will of the Father, we will likely feel at peace. If our hearts are not quite aligned, we may feel discord or cacophony, suggesting that we need to realign our hearts and have them tuned.
A simple test to see if we need a tune up, is to ask the questions, “Am I willing to put God first? Am I willing to yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit? Am I willing to submit to Father and undergo a change that will make me more like Him?” If we are not willing, a follow up question of, “why,” may suggest which strings need to be adjusted most. Hopefully, for most of us, it is only a few strings that are out of key and not the whole piano.
The prophet Alma further teaches us that being willing to experience this change of heart is synonymous to being spiritually born of God. This change allows us to receive the image of God within our countenances. He then asks a telling question, “if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?” (Alma 5:14, 26) This suggests to me that even though we have done good things in the past, and have felt the desire to serve God, our hearts are in need of constant tuning.
One thing that can help us to maintain these strong feelings in our hearts is to stay close to the Lord. If we remain steadfast and anchor our hearts with our faith in God, it is harder for them to wander. It is harder for them to slacken and get out of key. Tying our heartstrings to the will of God is the safest way to keep them properly tuned.
I have fond memories of our old upright in the small room of my parent’s home. I have newer memories of my son playing the same piano, properly tuned. With a little bit of care and attention the instrument is performing better than ever, ready for the next song to be discovered.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, November 29, 2009
A Game of Hot and Cold
I remember playing a guessing game when I was little where the person who was “it” had to find an object that someone else had hidden. The only clues given were to tell the person searching whether they were close or not by simply saying, "warm, warmer, hot," or "cold, colder, freezing." The hotter you were, the closer you were to finding the object.
I like to compare this game of “Hot and Cold” with the gift of the Holy Ghost. Listening to the Holy Spirit is much like getting subtle impressions of how close we are to doing what is right. Listening for the directions can help us make corrections when necessary and stay on track. However, when we give in to temptation, we tend to stop listening to the directions given by the Holy Ghost. That is when we are in danger.
Months ago, I spoke with a friend about his experiences with the Holy Ghost. I asked him if he had faith in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ. His answer surprised me. “I believe it is true,” he said, “but I don’t know it is true.” Silently I wondered how my friend could doubt so much to not believe that he had already been given knowledge. We discussed his testimony a little further and I gave him a few suggestions to ponder.
As each of us considers the strength of our personal testimonies, I believe there are three questions that can secure our faith. The first question is, “Can God lie?” The answer is a resounding no. He cannot lie or He would cease to be God. The second question is, “Can God speak to us?” The answer is a definite yes. At a minimum it is like playing Hot and Cold. But He can also give us instruction and inspiration. Then the third question, “Will God lead us astray?” Again the answer is no. The opposite defies reason. Everything God does is to help us return to His presence.
When we find ourselves in good circumstance, those who have faith are not likely to question these answers. However, when we are in the middle of a trial, they are the first truths we attack if our faith is weak. This is not to say that we don’t have faith, but rather our faith needs strengthening after being tested.
We may hear ourselves say, “I thought Father said He would take care of us and provide for us if we kept His commandments.” “Maybe He didn’t really speak to me, maybe I imagined it.” Or, “How did I get here. This is not where I thought I would be. I expected to be happier and safer.” Suddenly we question ourselves and Father. We begin to doubt and fear replaces our faith.
If we can remember these three questions before we are tried and tested – and be certain of their truth when we feel the Holy Spirit – it will help us to be patient and remember that the Lord will keep His promises, in His due time.
If we believe the answers to these three questions, and we believe that we have received answers to our prayers, then we can say with assurance that we have knowledge and not just faith – knowledge that God has spoken to us. We may not know the outcome of our choices, but that is where faith returns. Father allows us the opportunity to believe Him and have faith that what He said is true.
You may not be completely comfortable with those three questions yet, and if that is the case, that’s okay. There is still room to find out for yourself. The Savior’s invitation to ask God has been given to every dispensation. “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)
The follow up question I ask myself in relation to the first three is, “If the Lord does speak to me, how can I know for sure when He is speaking to me?” If I have impressions that tell me, "warm, warmer, hot," or "cold, colder, freezing," how can I be sure it really is Father? If I can answer that, I will have the start of a testimony.
Having learned the answer for myself, I can say I know that God lives, and I know He will not leave me, because the Holy Spirit has already confirmed to me that this is true. The key is to learn how to listen. Following are some key principles that were revealed to Joseph Smith regarding personal revelation and how to receive it.
The Lord has assured us that His words will be fulfilled. “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself….” Other things may change, but His word will not change. Knowing that He is committed can be the foundation of our testimonies if we believe that God cannot lie. (D&C 1:37-38)
In the Doctrine & Covenants, the Lord told Oliver Cowdery that as often as he had inquired of the Lord, that he received instruction of the Spirit. A witness of this is that his mind was enlightened. (D&C 6:14-15) Because the Lord is not a respecter of persons, each of us can learn if we will inquire through prayer. We can receive a witness of peace. The Lord further told Oliver, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?” (D&C 6:22-23)
When we pray, we should anticipate being enlightened. We should watch for inspiration to come. If we desire to know if this is from God, we should focus on how we feel and watch for the witness of peace in our hearts.
Both the mind and the heart are required to receive revelation. The Lord said, “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation….” (D&C 8:2-3) When we receive revelation from the Lord, the thoughts in our minds and the feelings in our hearts will be consistent.
Another important key to receiving revelation is contained in direction given by the Lord to Oliver Cowdery while he was assisting Joseph Smith in translation. We need to take an active role in seeking the answer. “Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong….” (D&C 9:7-9)
To avoid being deceived, the Lord also gave additional council to make sure the thoughts and feelings of our hearts and minds are consistent with His heart and mind. To Hyrum Smith He said, “And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit. Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy; And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.” (D&C 11:12-14)
Receiving revelation, and gaining a testimony, requires time and practice. Placing oil in our lamps, in this case, is done a drop at a time. As we follow these principles, and find ourselves getting closer and closer to the Holy Spirit, the light of Christ will grow warmer and warmer in our hearts.
Occasionally when we play a game of hide and seek, where the truths we are seeking seem to elude us, we may get frustrated. We might be disappointed because we are not receiving the answers we desire, or we might be frustrated that our personal testimonies are not as strong as we would like. In either case, persistence in the correct course will pay off.
A testimony will lead us like a candle. The fact that it can lead us suggests that our actions will often follow after the light. In other words, sometimes our actions will lag behind our beliefs or our faith. We know what to do, but we don’t always do it. Because our beliefs and actions are not aligned does not mean we are hypocrites. If our hearts are pointed towards the thing we have not yet mastered, we are still followers. We need not worry unless our hearts are turned opposite from the things we say. Disciples are not required to be perfect to follow. Discipleship is the path that leads to perfection. We grow spiritually as we try to follow the Savior Jesus Christ by walking in His light.
In those moments when we feel that the hot and cold directions are not so clear, we should look closely at why. It is possible that we are not receiving direction because we have turned our hearts from the Lord. In this case, the answers may not come until we repent. Another possibility is that we are being tested to see if we are really listening and are ready to follow. He may just be checking the alignment of our hearts.
If I want to perform a quick alignment test on my car, I take both hands off of the steering wheel while I am driving, albeit only briefly. If the wheels are out of alignment, the car will veer ever so slightly to one side or the other. Typically it won’t go careening off the road. The misalignment may be very small – it may not even be detectable when both hands are on the steering wheel – but it will result in unnecessary wear on the tires which will require them to be replaced sooner.
Similar to the alignment of a car, our hearts need adjustment from time to time. When the Spirit withdraws temporarily, and we are left to our own devices to make a decision, we gain experience in studying out the matter for ourselves. Without the help of the Spirit to steer us, our actions make our alignment very clear, whether we are straight or veer slightly to one side. If we choose not to correct our hearts, we add undue stress to our choices.
The matter of spiritual alignment is critical in receiving revelation. It is no different than pouring water into a glass from pitcher. If we are not aligned, the water continues to flow, hitting the outside of the glass and doing nothing to fill it. When our glass is properly oriented, we will be filled to overflowing. The Lord told Joseph Smith, “And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things. Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.” (D&C 88:67-68)
While the promise spoken of in these verses is great, the pathway that leads to that promise is full of revelation. One revelation will lead to another, line upon line, until we have received a fullness. The closer we get to Father, the more He can tell us. When we repent and are ready to follow His direction, the answers do come. The game of Hot and Cold becomes more of a pursuit. As we get closer to obtaining our goal, we are only satisfied with “warmer” and “hot” as answers. We never want to be cold again. Fortunately, we don’t have to as long as we take the Holy Ghost as our guide.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
I like to compare this game of “Hot and Cold” with the gift of the Holy Ghost. Listening to the Holy Spirit is much like getting subtle impressions of how close we are to doing what is right. Listening for the directions can help us make corrections when necessary and stay on track. However, when we give in to temptation, we tend to stop listening to the directions given by the Holy Ghost. That is when we are in danger.
Months ago, I spoke with a friend about his experiences with the Holy Ghost. I asked him if he had faith in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ. His answer surprised me. “I believe it is true,” he said, “but I don’t know it is true.” Silently I wondered how my friend could doubt so much to not believe that he had already been given knowledge. We discussed his testimony a little further and I gave him a few suggestions to ponder.
As each of us considers the strength of our personal testimonies, I believe there are three questions that can secure our faith. The first question is, “Can God lie?” The answer is a resounding no. He cannot lie or He would cease to be God. The second question is, “Can God speak to us?” The answer is a definite yes. At a minimum it is like playing Hot and Cold. But He can also give us instruction and inspiration. Then the third question, “Will God lead us astray?” Again the answer is no. The opposite defies reason. Everything God does is to help us return to His presence.
When we find ourselves in good circumstance, those who have faith are not likely to question these answers. However, when we are in the middle of a trial, they are the first truths we attack if our faith is weak. This is not to say that we don’t have faith, but rather our faith needs strengthening after being tested.
We may hear ourselves say, “I thought Father said He would take care of us and provide for us if we kept His commandments.” “Maybe He didn’t really speak to me, maybe I imagined it.” Or, “How did I get here. This is not where I thought I would be. I expected to be happier and safer.” Suddenly we question ourselves and Father. We begin to doubt and fear replaces our faith.
If we can remember these three questions before we are tried and tested – and be certain of their truth when we feel the Holy Spirit – it will help us to be patient and remember that the Lord will keep His promises, in His due time.
If we believe the answers to these three questions, and we believe that we have received answers to our prayers, then we can say with assurance that we have knowledge and not just faith – knowledge that God has spoken to us. We may not know the outcome of our choices, but that is where faith returns. Father allows us the opportunity to believe Him and have faith that what He said is true.
You may not be completely comfortable with those three questions yet, and if that is the case, that’s okay. There is still room to find out for yourself. The Savior’s invitation to ask God has been given to every dispensation. “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)
The follow up question I ask myself in relation to the first three is, “If the Lord does speak to me, how can I know for sure when He is speaking to me?” If I have impressions that tell me, "warm, warmer, hot," or "cold, colder, freezing," how can I be sure it really is Father? If I can answer that, I will have the start of a testimony.
Having learned the answer for myself, I can say I know that God lives, and I know He will not leave me, because the Holy Spirit has already confirmed to me that this is true. The key is to learn how to listen. Following are some key principles that were revealed to Joseph Smith regarding personal revelation and how to receive it.
The Lord has assured us that His words will be fulfilled. “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself….” Other things may change, but His word will not change. Knowing that He is committed can be the foundation of our testimonies if we believe that God cannot lie. (D&C 1:37-38)
In the Doctrine & Covenants, the Lord told Oliver Cowdery that as often as he had inquired of the Lord, that he received instruction of the Spirit. A witness of this is that his mind was enlightened. (D&C 6:14-15) Because the Lord is not a respecter of persons, each of us can learn if we will inquire through prayer. We can receive a witness of peace. The Lord further told Oliver, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?” (D&C 6:22-23)
When we pray, we should anticipate being enlightened. We should watch for inspiration to come. If we desire to know if this is from God, we should focus on how we feel and watch for the witness of peace in our hearts.
Both the mind and the heart are required to receive revelation. The Lord said, “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart. Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation….” (D&C 8:2-3) When we receive revelation from the Lord, the thoughts in our minds and the feelings in our hearts will be consistent.
Another important key to receiving revelation is contained in direction given by the Lord to Oliver Cowdery while he was assisting Joseph Smith in translation. We need to take an active role in seeking the answer. “Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong….” (D&C 9:7-9)
To avoid being deceived, the Lord also gave additional council to make sure the thoughts and feelings of our hearts and minds are consistent with His heart and mind. To Hyrum Smith He said, “And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit. Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy; And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.” (D&C 11:12-14)
Receiving revelation, and gaining a testimony, requires time and practice. Placing oil in our lamps, in this case, is done a drop at a time. As we follow these principles, and find ourselves getting closer and closer to the Holy Spirit, the light of Christ will grow warmer and warmer in our hearts.
Occasionally when we play a game of hide and seek, where the truths we are seeking seem to elude us, we may get frustrated. We might be disappointed because we are not receiving the answers we desire, or we might be frustrated that our personal testimonies are not as strong as we would like. In either case, persistence in the correct course will pay off.
A testimony will lead us like a candle. The fact that it can lead us suggests that our actions will often follow after the light. In other words, sometimes our actions will lag behind our beliefs or our faith. We know what to do, but we don’t always do it. Because our beliefs and actions are not aligned does not mean we are hypocrites. If our hearts are pointed towards the thing we have not yet mastered, we are still followers. We need not worry unless our hearts are turned opposite from the things we say. Disciples are not required to be perfect to follow. Discipleship is the path that leads to perfection. We grow spiritually as we try to follow the Savior Jesus Christ by walking in His light.
In those moments when we feel that the hot and cold directions are not so clear, we should look closely at why. It is possible that we are not receiving direction because we have turned our hearts from the Lord. In this case, the answers may not come until we repent. Another possibility is that we are being tested to see if we are really listening and are ready to follow. He may just be checking the alignment of our hearts.
If I want to perform a quick alignment test on my car, I take both hands off of the steering wheel while I am driving, albeit only briefly. If the wheels are out of alignment, the car will veer ever so slightly to one side or the other. Typically it won’t go careening off the road. The misalignment may be very small – it may not even be detectable when both hands are on the steering wheel – but it will result in unnecessary wear on the tires which will require them to be replaced sooner.
Similar to the alignment of a car, our hearts need adjustment from time to time. When the Spirit withdraws temporarily, and we are left to our own devices to make a decision, we gain experience in studying out the matter for ourselves. Without the help of the Spirit to steer us, our actions make our alignment very clear, whether we are straight or veer slightly to one side. If we choose not to correct our hearts, we add undue stress to our choices.
The matter of spiritual alignment is critical in receiving revelation. It is no different than pouring water into a glass from pitcher. If we are not aligned, the water continues to flow, hitting the outside of the glass and doing nothing to fill it. When our glass is properly oriented, we will be filled to overflowing. The Lord told Joseph Smith, “And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things. Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.” (D&C 88:67-68)
While the promise spoken of in these verses is great, the pathway that leads to that promise is full of revelation. One revelation will lead to another, line upon line, until we have received a fullness. The closer we get to Father, the more He can tell us. When we repent and are ready to follow His direction, the answers do come. The game of Hot and Cold becomes more of a pursuit. As we get closer to obtaining our goal, we are only satisfied with “warmer” and “hot” as answers. We never want to be cold again. Fortunately, we don’t have to as long as we take the Holy Ghost as our guide.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Adultery and Idolatry, or, “With All Your Heart”
I have long been intrigued by two of the greatest kings in all of Israel. David and his son, Solomon, were men of great character and ability. More than that, they were chosen of the Lord. In 1 Samuel 13:14 we learn that David was a man after the Lord’s own heart. Solomon was given wisdom unlike any other before or after him. (1 Kings 3:12) But for all their admirable qualities, both monarchs had lives that were punctuated with tragedy and disappointment, because of where they placed their hearts.
Just before the Lord gave Moses the commandments and the law on Sinai, he told Moses the blessing he was about to give Israel. In Exodus 19:5-6 we read, “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” The Lord’s blessings are certain when we are obedient. This understanding has caused me to wonder what seeds David and Solomon chose to place in their hearts that spoiled their gardens with weeds.
After the fall of King David with Bathsheba and Uriah, the prophet, Nathan, queried David and asked, “Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight?” (2 Samuel 12:9) At some point before his sin, David’s heart turned from the Lord. It was this choice that led to his great sin of adultery, which was followed by murder and deceit.
Solomon followed a similar path to his father and allowed his wives to turn his heart. In JST 1 Kings 11:4, 6 we read, “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, and it became as the heart of David his father.... And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord as David his father, and went not fully after the Lord.” Solomon then promoted idolatry by building up high places for the worship of the gods of his wives.
While we may not intend a deliberate attack on God, our failure to remember Him demonstrates a serious misplacement of our devotion. The prophet Nephi taught, “For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet; I say trample under their feet but I would speak in other words–they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels.” (1 Nephi 19:7)
It is sad to note that David’s adultery, followed by Solomon’s idolatry, led to the division of the kingdom that David worked so hard to successfully unite. He and his son frustrated their life-long efforts because of what they allowed into their hearts. While this pattern may not be the same for all who misplace their devotions, it is a tragic ensign that waves before us.
What a special and sacred place is the heart. It is the container of hopes and dreams. It is the house of our faith. It is where we keep that which is most dear to us. Most importantly, the heart is the receiver in our communication with God – it is where we feel the promptings of the Holy Ghost. But this can only happen by choice, when we treasure the word of the Lord. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (3 Nephi 13:21) It should be no great surprise that one thing we often treasure most is love.
While we are commanded by the Lord to love everyone, there are only two people that I am aware of whom we are commanded to love with all our hearts. On one occasion a scribe asked Jesus which was the first of all the commandments. Jesus answered him saying, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:30) Similarly, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith in the Doctrine & Covenants the importance of loving our spouse to whom we are married. He said, “Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else.” (D&C 42:22)
To love with all your heart implies that you are willing to offer everything you have, including the treasure that you may keep in your heart. When I treasure God and my wife above all else, it isn’t hard to offer that relationship back. If I treasure other things and am willing to offer them, too, then I show that nothing takes preeminence over the two primary relationships in my life. However, if I treasure something else so much that I am not prepared to give them up willingly, I should probably question whether I truly love with all my heart.
For much of my life, I believed that I loved God with all my heart because I could say I had kept the commandments. I don’t worship idols. I haven’t murdered or committed adultery. It wasn’t until I looked at the instruction from the Savior in the Sermon on the Mount a little closer that I gained a greater understanding of what it meant to be truly obedient. In Matthew 5:27 we read, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Jesus was speaking, not to the letter of the law, but to the intent of the law. It is in the intent where the seeds of sin begin to sprout.
Returning to the earlier question, “What seeds did David and Solomon chose to place in their hearts that spoiled their gardens with weeds?” I believe the answer lies in the inception of personal desire where intent is born. The issue has everything to do with fidelity with their two primary relationships. The word fidelity represents loyalty, faithfulness, and devotion. Fidelity is not just the abstinence of sin, it is the commitment that we make when we love with all our hearts. When we allow anything to interfere with that commitment, or our covenants, our fidelity is weakened, as is our faith.
With this understanding, the commandments given to Moses have increased depth and meaning for those who are truly faithful. If Jesus was trying to focus on the intent of our hearts when He taught the Sermon on the Mount, I would propose that we begin to practice idolatry in our hearts when we let anything affect our fidelity with God. Similarly, we begin to practice adultery in our hearts when we let anything or anyone affect our fidelity to our spouse. Thus adultery and idolatry have less to do with specific acts and everything to do with our covenants with the two primary relationships given by commandment.
So why are these seeds so important to stop at their inception? Continuing in Doctrine & Covenants 42:23 we read, “And he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit; and if he repents not he shall be cast out.” Not only do we deny our faith in God, because we have set him at naught and have ignored his counsel, we are no longer faithful in either of our covenants. This offends the Holy Spirit and causes it to withdraw. Our situation becomes even more precarious because of the powerful emotions that are involved when we love. These emotions evoke feelings that are so strong, they can mask, block, and even eclipse the promptings of the Holy Ghost. If we replace those promptings that can warn us of danger with feelings of emotion that have no restraint, we may find ourselves on a path without the ability to recognize that we are in danger. We put at risk, not only our covenants, but our ability to receive divine help, peace, and happiness. We also risk losing life-long investments in relationships that were meant and intended by the Lord to last forever. Ere we are aware, like David and Solomon, we misplace our devotions and find ourselves lost.
Recently a friend of mine told me of a couple that had fallen out of love. Their story could likely be retold by many who have been deceived into thinking that there is more to life than what they currently have. I am not certain that two people can fall out of love because their relationship slowly evaporates. I believe it likely, in most cases, that their desires go unchecked and shift to another focus. They allow them to be redirected or given to someone else.
Sometimes it is only a matter of priority. If we let something else, such as career ambitions, interfere with our faithfulness to our covenants and our fidelity to our two primary relationships, we risk losing the spirit. If a job eats up too much of our time so that we don’t spend a sufficient amount with a spouse, that relationship can become weaker. Once weakened, we may find that our desires for love also transfer to another focus. If that job becomes so important that we find it hard to keep the Sabbath Day holy, our relationship with Father becomes weaker. Once weakened, we may find that our desires turn to wealth, entertainment, or even selfishness. We become, as the apostle Paul described in 2 Timothy 3:2-5, “lovers of [our] own selves,” and “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” Thus selfishness becomes a strange form of idolatry.
Because we live in perilous times in the last days where the behavior described by Paul is so prevalent and common, it may be even harder for us to perceive that something is wrong. It becomes easier to fall prey to the temptations of the adversary to break the covenants with our two primary relationships. Conditions around us make it easier for even the very elect to be deceived. (Matthew 24:24)
If we wish not to be deceived, the answer is simple. Keep the commandments and take the Holy Spirit for your guide. Keep your desires in check and maintain absolute fidelity in your relationships with God and your spouse. We find the strength to keep these covenants when we combine for a common purpose. When we pray, we can ask Father for help to strengthen our marriage. As we plan out our lives with our spouses, we can ask for and give support to each other in keeping these commandments. I have found immense happiness and contentment as I have done these two things. My love for my God and my wife have only grown stronger and stronger. I know this has been the source of my happiness. How grateful I have been for the counsel to place my devotions appropriately and truly love with all my heart.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Just before the Lord gave Moses the commandments and the law on Sinai, he told Moses the blessing he was about to give Israel. In Exodus 19:5-6 we read, “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.” The Lord’s blessings are certain when we are obedient. This understanding has caused me to wonder what seeds David and Solomon chose to place in their hearts that spoiled their gardens with weeds.
After the fall of King David with Bathsheba and Uriah, the prophet, Nathan, queried David and asked, “Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight?” (2 Samuel 12:9) At some point before his sin, David’s heart turned from the Lord. It was this choice that led to his great sin of adultery, which was followed by murder and deceit.
Solomon followed a similar path to his father and allowed his wives to turn his heart. In JST 1 Kings 11:4, 6 we read, “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, and it became as the heart of David his father.... And Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord as David his father, and went not fully after the Lord.” Solomon then promoted idolatry by building up high places for the worship of the gods of his wives.
While we may not intend a deliberate attack on God, our failure to remember Him demonstrates a serious misplacement of our devotion. The prophet Nephi taught, “For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet; I say trample under their feet but I would speak in other words–they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels.” (1 Nephi 19:7)
It is sad to note that David’s adultery, followed by Solomon’s idolatry, led to the division of the kingdom that David worked so hard to successfully unite. He and his son frustrated their life-long efforts because of what they allowed into their hearts. While this pattern may not be the same for all who misplace their devotions, it is a tragic ensign that waves before us.
What a special and sacred place is the heart. It is the container of hopes and dreams. It is the house of our faith. It is where we keep that which is most dear to us. Most importantly, the heart is the receiver in our communication with God – it is where we feel the promptings of the Holy Ghost. But this can only happen by choice, when we treasure the word of the Lord. “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (3 Nephi 13:21) It should be no great surprise that one thing we often treasure most is love.
While we are commanded by the Lord to love everyone, there are only two people that I am aware of whom we are commanded to love with all our hearts. On one occasion a scribe asked Jesus which was the first of all the commandments. Jesus answered him saying, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:30) Similarly, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith in the Doctrine & Covenants the importance of loving our spouse to whom we are married. He said, “Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else.” (D&C 42:22)
To love with all your heart implies that you are willing to offer everything you have, including the treasure that you may keep in your heart. When I treasure God and my wife above all else, it isn’t hard to offer that relationship back. If I treasure other things and am willing to offer them, too, then I show that nothing takes preeminence over the two primary relationships in my life. However, if I treasure something else so much that I am not prepared to give them up willingly, I should probably question whether I truly love with all my heart.
For much of my life, I believed that I loved God with all my heart because I could say I had kept the commandments. I don’t worship idols. I haven’t murdered or committed adultery. It wasn’t until I looked at the instruction from the Savior in the Sermon on the Mount a little closer that I gained a greater understanding of what it meant to be truly obedient. In Matthew 5:27 we read, “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” Jesus was speaking, not to the letter of the law, but to the intent of the law. It is in the intent where the seeds of sin begin to sprout.
Returning to the earlier question, “What seeds did David and Solomon chose to place in their hearts that spoiled their gardens with weeds?” I believe the answer lies in the inception of personal desire where intent is born. The issue has everything to do with fidelity with their two primary relationships. The word fidelity represents loyalty, faithfulness, and devotion. Fidelity is not just the abstinence of sin, it is the commitment that we make when we love with all our hearts. When we allow anything to interfere with that commitment, or our covenants, our fidelity is weakened, as is our faith.
With this understanding, the commandments given to Moses have increased depth and meaning for those who are truly faithful. If Jesus was trying to focus on the intent of our hearts when He taught the Sermon on the Mount, I would propose that we begin to practice idolatry in our hearts when we let anything affect our fidelity with God. Similarly, we begin to practice adultery in our hearts when we let anything or anyone affect our fidelity to our spouse. Thus adultery and idolatry have less to do with specific acts and everything to do with our covenants with the two primary relationships given by commandment.
So why are these seeds so important to stop at their inception? Continuing in Doctrine & Covenants 42:23 we read, “And he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit; and if he repents not he shall be cast out.” Not only do we deny our faith in God, because we have set him at naught and have ignored his counsel, we are no longer faithful in either of our covenants. This offends the Holy Spirit and causes it to withdraw. Our situation becomes even more precarious because of the powerful emotions that are involved when we love. These emotions evoke feelings that are so strong, they can mask, block, and even eclipse the promptings of the Holy Ghost. If we replace those promptings that can warn us of danger with feelings of emotion that have no restraint, we may find ourselves on a path without the ability to recognize that we are in danger. We put at risk, not only our covenants, but our ability to receive divine help, peace, and happiness. We also risk losing life-long investments in relationships that were meant and intended by the Lord to last forever. Ere we are aware, like David and Solomon, we misplace our devotions and find ourselves lost.
Recently a friend of mine told me of a couple that had fallen out of love. Their story could likely be retold by many who have been deceived into thinking that there is more to life than what they currently have. I am not certain that two people can fall out of love because their relationship slowly evaporates. I believe it likely, in most cases, that their desires go unchecked and shift to another focus. They allow them to be redirected or given to someone else.
Sometimes it is only a matter of priority. If we let something else, such as career ambitions, interfere with our faithfulness to our covenants and our fidelity to our two primary relationships, we risk losing the spirit. If a job eats up too much of our time so that we don’t spend a sufficient amount with a spouse, that relationship can become weaker. Once weakened, we may find that our desires for love also transfer to another focus. If that job becomes so important that we find it hard to keep the Sabbath Day holy, our relationship with Father becomes weaker. Once weakened, we may find that our desires turn to wealth, entertainment, or even selfishness. We become, as the apostle Paul described in 2 Timothy 3:2-5, “lovers of [our] own selves,” and “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” Thus selfishness becomes a strange form of idolatry.
Because we live in perilous times in the last days where the behavior described by Paul is so prevalent and common, it may be even harder for us to perceive that something is wrong. It becomes easier to fall prey to the temptations of the adversary to break the covenants with our two primary relationships. Conditions around us make it easier for even the very elect to be deceived. (Matthew 24:24)
If we wish not to be deceived, the answer is simple. Keep the commandments and take the Holy Spirit for your guide. Keep your desires in check and maintain absolute fidelity in your relationships with God and your spouse. We find the strength to keep these covenants when we combine for a common purpose. When we pray, we can ask Father for help to strengthen our marriage. As we plan out our lives with our spouses, we can ask for and give support to each other in keeping these commandments. I have found immense happiness and contentment as I have done these two things. My love for my God and my wife have only grown stronger and stronger. I know this has been the source of my happiness. How grateful I have been for the counsel to place my devotions appropriately and truly love with all my heart.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, August 16, 2009
The Autumn Road
I believe that each of us starts out making important lifelong choices. Those who are happiest often spend the rest of their lives making more choices to honor those made previously. This is particularly true when those choices are covenants.
There is a lot of power in covenants. However, like other things that are inanimate, they only have as much power as we give them. When we keep our covenants, there is added power beyond our own because of what Father brings to the arrangement – He always sweetens the deal.
There are many things that can distract us from our covenants. Not all of them are bad. Some have to do with priorities, others merely with timing. Some choices will require us to put something off indefinitely. Many decisions only require us to yield the right of way to something better at the moment. Our decisions define our priorities.
In his talk, “Good, Better, Best,” the apostle, Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, “We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.”
I pondered this subject a few years ago and decided to capture the essence of my thoughts in a poem I call, “The Autumn Road.” I believe there are seasons in life where we would like to do something good and worthwhile, only to find it’s just not the right time. We may even feel that things are falling around us which make it that much more appealing to change our course and follow our desires at the moment. Again, our decisions define our priorities.
A month ago I traveled this road,
And let my mind run on alone.
There in the wood two roads diverge,
But one, to me, remains unknown.
That night I stood between the two,
At length before my feet arrived,
While something there called out to me,
To take the road I hadn’t tried.
I wondered at the path not seen,
Of canopy and wooded hall –
Clear brook, soft earth, and changing trees,
With leaves that wear the dress of fall.
My heart led out. I almost walked,
But stopped with thoughts of home so near.
There were, that night, more pressing needs,
And welcome words I longed to hear.
Perchance that I would be delayed,
I said that road I would not take.
Ere long my feet will there return;
Another day that choice I’ll make.
I tend to place a lot of trust in decisions that I have made earlier in life when I can say I knew it was a right decision when I made it. Confirming my decisions with prayer and the promised inspiration that follows gives me added reassurance that I am still on the right path.
We should expect to be tried and tested on significant decisions in life. The most important choices tend to lead to the greatest blessings. As we are told by Moroni in Ether 12:6, “I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.”
I think each of us will question decisions we have made at some earlier point in our lives, especially when it appears that things are different than we expected. My personal experience tells me, stay the course. The Lord told Joseph Smith in Doctrine and Covenants 11:12-14, “And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good — yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit. Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy; And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.”
An important key in making our choices in life is to include a member of the Godhead. King Benjamin tells us that it is in our natures to make bad choices. In Mosiah 3:19 he says, “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord….”
When we follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost we can be assured that we have made good choices and that a promised blessing will be waiting for us at the end of the trial. At the same time we become more like the Savior, Jesus Christ. Our hearts become purer and we become sanctified because we yield the right of way to the best decisions.
King Benjamin then tells us that we become something greater in the process. He continues, “…and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.”
The happiest people I know have spent their lives making choices that honor lifelong choices they made previously. How grateful I am for the extra help the Lord provides in answer to my prayers. I know He will help us. If He will help us when we start, He will certainly help us finish.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
There is a lot of power in covenants. However, like other things that are inanimate, they only have as much power as we give them. When we keep our covenants, there is added power beyond our own because of what Father brings to the arrangement – He always sweetens the deal.
There are many things that can distract us from our covenants. Not all of them are bad. Some have to do with priorities, others merely with timing. Some choices will require us to put something off indefinitely. Many decisions only require us to yield the right of way to something better at the moment. Our decisions define our priorities.
In his talk, “Good, Better, Best,” the apostle, Elder Dallin H. Oaks said, “We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.”
I pondered this subject a few years ago and decided to capture the essence of my thoughts in a poem I call, “The Autumn Road.” I believe there are seasons in life where we would like to do something good and worthwhile, only to find it’s just not the right time. We may even feel that things are falling around us which make it that much more appealing to change our course and follow our desires at the moment. Again, our decisions define our priorities.
A month ago I traveled this road,
And let my mind run on alone.
There in the wood two roads diverge,
But one, to me, remains unknown.
That night I stood between the two,
At length before my feet arrived,
While something there called out to me,
To take the road I hadn’t tried.
I wondered at the path not seen,
Of canopy and wooded hall –
Clear brook, soft earth, and changing trees,
With leaves that wear the dress of fall.
My heart led out. I almost walked,
But stopped with thoughts of home so near.
There were, that night, more pressing needs,
And welcome words I longed to hear.
Perchance that I would be delayed,
I said that road I would not take.
Ere long my feet will there return;
Another day that choice I’ll make.
I tend to place a lot of trust in decisions that I have made earlier in life when I can say I knew it was a right decision when I made it. Confirming my decisions with prayer and the promised inspiration that follows gives me added reassurance that I am still on the right path.
We should expect to be tried and tested on significant decisions in life. The most important choices tend to lead to the greatest blessings. As we are told by Moroni in Ether 12:6, “I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.”
I think each of us will question decisions we have made at some earlier point in our lives, especially when it appears that things are different than we expected. My personal experience tells me, stay the course. The Lord told Joseph Smith in Doctrine and Covenants 11:12-14, “And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good — yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit. Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy; And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of righteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.”
An important key in making our choices in life is to include a member of the Godhead. King Benjamin tells us that it is in our natures to make bad choices. In Mosiah 3:19 he says, “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord….”
When we follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost we can be assured that we have made good choices and that a promised blessing will be waiting for us at the end of the trial. At the same time we become more like the Savior, Jesus Christ. Our hearts become purer and we become sanctified because we yield the right of way to the best decisions.
King Benjamin then tells us that we become something greater in the process. He continues, “…and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.”
The happiest people I know have spent their lives making choices that honor lifelong choices they made previously. How grateful I am for the extra help the Lord provides in answer to my prayers. I know He will help us. If He will help us when we start, He will certainly help us finish.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Then Shall Thy Light Break Forth as the Morning
You might say I have been fortunate to see several beautiful sunrises the last couple weeks. Or perhaps you might think that I haven’t had enough good fortune to sleep in as often as I would like. In turn I might say it depends on how you look at it.
A week ago I found myself discovering what it is like to watch the clock through the night when you can’t get to sleep. This is a rare thing for me. I was camping near the Utah/Wyoming border and I knew it would be cold at night. However, I was not prepared for the severe temperature swings as hot days would descend to freezing conditions after dark. Consequently, my body would not accommodate my fatigue and I spent the entirety of one night walking and thinking.
Just before dawn, I noticed that some of the stars were disappearing. They had been my only friends during the night, and they seemed to be fading – a condition that occurs every morning when dark yields to dawn. The change is so gradual, though, that I only notice if I am looking. I was sad to see familiar constellations slowly vanish.
I don’t remember why the night always seems coldest before dawn. I only know I have experienced it enough not to question the principle. While I’m sure it has been explained to me before, the logic still escapes my memory. As I stood in a meadow of sage brush with a blanket wrapped around my shoulders and coat beneath, I looked to the horizon, waiting. It was a prayerful moment for me, perhaps one that I will never forget. Not only was I awaiting the renewed warmth of morning, I was also considering some things that I had recently given up.
As the sun approached the skyline from behind the distant mountains, the lower sky began to glow brighter and brighter until the first sharp glimpse of the sun demanded my attention and announced the dawn of a new day. The brilliant sliver of light, often described as the crack of dawn, was visible but was not quite enough to illuminate the ground. I could see it in the distance, but the ground remained in shadow. Slowly, as the sun mounted the sky, the light touched the ground where I stood. Simultaneously, deeper shadows also appeared long and thin across the landscape. It was as though night made one last attempt to cast dark around me and then was forced to retreat. Within moments, I could feel warmer air around me. I eventually folded my blanket and removed my coat. Was I tired? Yes. Very. But, oh, how beautiful that morning was to me.
I have recently been pondering the writings of Isaiah where he described a gospel principle in a similar way. Though his words have been on my mind extensively for a couple weeks, I didn’t see the comparison until this morning. I may have given up a night of sleep, or other things that were important to me, but Isaiah has sharpened my focus as to why I should sacrifice.
You might say that the writings of a prophet like Isaiah are confusing. Or perhaps you find his words to be poetic and beautiful. In turn I might say, it depends on how you look at it. But you won’t know until you look.
Isaiah spoke of personal sacrifice through the law of the fast as a source of tremendous and needed blessings. In Isaiah 58:6-7, Isaiah speaks for the Lord who said, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?”
In these two verses, Isaiah teaches us that there is great personal power and strength for others when we are willing to give up something that we need very much. The Lord has prepared and chosen the law of the fast to help us overcome weaknesses, trials, illness, and other afflictions. In the process of trusting the Lord and seeking His help, we can also be the means of helping others in the process. But you won’t know until you look for them.
A common practice when fasting is to abstain from food or drink for two meals and then give the portion that would have been consumed, or the equivalent in what we would have spent on that food, to those who are in need. Bishops are entrusted with the responsibility to collect this excess and then care for the poor and needy. Our simple offerings can do much to help others in need. It is when we do this that we receive the blessings promised by Isaiah in verses 8-12 of the same chapter.
“Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.”
The light that breaks forth for us in the morning is more welcome after a long night. Jesus Christ is the light that we should seek. He can give us sight when we are blind and warmth when we are cold. He will enlighten our minds through the Holy Ghost and give us comfort. These are some of the promised blessings when we honor the letter and intent of the law of the fast. Our meager offerings will go before us and will bring additional blessings. The Lord will cover our efforts and the places we may fall short. What a blessing it is to know that God does hear and answer the prayers of those who believe in Him.
God has also promised blessings to those who obey. Note the conditions and blessings in the following if/then statement: “If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”
I have found all too often that I trip on my own roadblocks; I set up my own obstacles. I place an undue yoke upon my shoulders when I doubt and instead rely upon my own strength. Truly it is vanity when I attempt to find happiness on a road that does not lead there. I may as well search for more light in the darkness with a vain expectation of finding it. Sadly, we often create our own darkness through the choices we make. Then we look for the dawn, wondering when it will come.
If we listen to Isaiah, we will take away our self-imposed yokes. We will remove the veil of vanity and unbelief. We will then turn to those who are less fortunate and see to their needs. Then will our light rise out of obscurity. Then will our paths be restored with a clearer vision of what we need to do to keep the light in our lives.
For me the intent of the law of the fast is for me to give up something I need very much to show my dependence and trust in the Lord. As my physical strength is lessened, I have to turn to God for spiritual strength to sustain me. This very small act reconditions us and trains us to do difficult things. It helps us gain mastery over our own wants and needs. We then grow in confidence as virtue garnishes our thoughts and our hearts are filled with charity for others. Each time I transfer my selfish energy towards helping someone else in need, I take a step closer to becoming like the Savior, Jesus Christ.
Fasting helps us find the strength within to go without. For me, going without can have two meanings. We can go without the things we need to sharpen our attention towards spiritual things. We can also go without, or outside ourselves, to help others with their wants and needs. This action brings blessings to us and those we serve. Both meanings will often require added strength to accomplish.
I also believe that fasting alone is not enough. With a wry smile, I tell my children that fasting without a purpose is just starving. Our attitude can make all the difference. When we fast with the right intent, and our prayers provide added purpose, miracles can happen.
When Jesus returned from the mount of transfiguration with Peter, James, and John, he found the other nine apostles a bit discouraged. They had tried to help a man cast a spirit out from his son. The apostles had failed and asked Jesus why they could not help the man’s son. Jesus replied in Matthew 17:20-21, "Because of your unbelief.... Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Not only did he teach them that prayer and fasting can increase our faith, it can also give us added strength to do the things God has commanded us to do. I may not be possessed of an evil spirit, but there are times I allow myself to be controlled by a spirit of fear. That mood or temperament can similarly be dispelled by honoring the intent of the law.
I think it may be worth pondering other ways that we might apply the principle of fasting in our lives – ways in which we might give up something we want or need to bless the life of someone else. Fasting is yet another principle with promise.
You might say that fasting feels like a task to be endured. Or perhaps you have found that it is a better experience than you once thought. In turn, I might say, it depends on how you look at it. If we look to meet the intent, then shall thy light break forth as the morning. I don’t know that you can fully appreciate a sunrise until you have seen it for yourself. How blessed we are when it comes.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
A week ago I found myself discovering what it is like to watch the clock through the night when you can’t get to sleep. This is a rare thing for me. I was camping near the Utah/Wyoming border and I knew it would be cold at night. However, I was not prepared for the severe temperature swings as hot days would descend to freezing conditions after dark. Consequently, my body would not accommodate my fatigue and I spent the entirety of one night walking and thinking.
Just before dawn, I noticed that some of the stars were disappearing. They had been my only friends during the night, and they seemed to be fading – a condition that occurs every morning when dark yields to dawn. The change is so gradual, though, that I only notice if I am looking. I was sad to see familiar constellations slowly vanish.
I don’t remember why the night always seems coldest before dawn. I only know I have experienced it enough not to question the principle. While I’m sure it has been explained to me before, the logic still escapes my memory. As I stood in a meadow of sage brush with a blanket wrapped around my shoulders and coat beneath, I looked to the horizon, waiting. It was a prayerful moment for me, perhaps one that I will never forget. Not only was I awaiting the renewed warmth of morning, I was also considering some things that I had recently given up.
As the sun approached the skyline from behind the distant mountains, the lower sky began to glow brighter and brighter until the first sharp glimpse of the sun demanded my attention and announced the dawn of a new day. The brilliant sliver of light, often described as the crack of dawn, was visible but was not quite enough to illuminate the ground. I could see it in the distance, but the ground remained in shadow. Slowly, as the sun mounted the sky, the light touched the ground where I stood. Simultaneously, deeper shadows also appeared long and thin across the landscape. It was as though night made one last attempt to cast dark around me and then was forced to retreat. Within moments, I could feel warmer air around me. I eventually folded my blanket and removed my coat. Was I tired? Yes. Very. But, oh, how beautiful that morning was to me.
I have recently been pondering the writings of Isaiah where he described a gospel principle in a similar way. Though his words have been on my mind extensively for a couple weeks, I didn’t see the comparison until this morning. I may have given up a night of sleep, or other things that were important to me, but Isaiah has sharpened my focus as to why I should sacrifice.
You might say that the writings of a prophet like Isaiah are confusing. Or perhaps you find his words to be poetic and beautiful. In turn I might say, it depends on how you look at it. But you won’t know until you look.
Isaiah spoke of personal sacrifice through the law of the fast as a source of tremendous and needed blessings. In Isaiah 58:6-7, Isaiah speaks for the Lord who said, “Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?”
In these two verses, Isaiah teaches us that there is great personal power and strength for others when we are willing to give up something that we need very much. The Lord has prepared and chosen the law of the fast to help us overcome weaknesses, trials, illness, and other afflictions. In the process of trusting the Lord and seeking His help, we can also be the means of helping others in the process. But you won’t know until you look for them.
A common practice when fasting is to abstain from food or drink for two meals and then give the portion that would have been consumed, or the equivalent in what we would have spent on that food, to those who are in need. Bishops are entrusted with the responsibility to collect this excess and then care for the poor and needy. Our simple offerings can do much to help others in need. It is when we do this that we receive the blessings promised by Isaiah in verses 8-12 of the same chapter.
“Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.”
The light that breaks forth for us in the morning is more welcome after a long night. Jesus Christ is the light that we should seek. He can give us sight when we are blind and warmth when we are cold. He will enlighten our minds through the Holy Ghost and give us comfort. These are some of the promised blessings when we honor the letter and intent of the law of the fast. Our meager offerings will go before us and will bring additional blessings. The Lord will cover our efforts and the places we may fall short. What a blessing it is to know that God does hear and answer the prayers of those who believe in Him.
God has also promised blessings to those who obey. Note the conditions and blessings in the following if/then statement: “If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”
I have found all too often that I trip on my own roadblocks; I set up my own obstacles. I place an undue yoke upon my shoulders when I doubt and instead rely upon my own strength. Truly it is vanity when I attempt to find happiness on a road that does not lead there. I may as well search for more light in the darkness with a vain expectation of finding it. Sadly, we often create our own darkness through the choices we make. Then we look for the dawn, wondering when it will come.
If we listen to Isaiah, we will take away our self-imposed yokes. We will remove the veil of vanity and unbelief. We will then turn to those who are less fortunate and see to their needs. Then will our light rise out of obscurity. Then will our paths be restored with a clearer vision of what we need to do to keep the light in our lives.
For me the intent of the law of the fast is for me to give up something I need very much to show my dependence and trust in the Lord. As my physical strength is lessened, I have to turn to God for spiritual strength to sustain me. This very small act reconditions us and trains us to do difficult things. It helps us gain mastery over our own wants and needs. We then grow in confidence as virtue garnishes our thoughts and our hearts are filled with charity for others. Each time I transfer my selfish energy towards helping someone else in need, I take a step closer to becoming like the Savior, Jesus Christ.
Fasting helps us find the strength within to go without. For me, going without can have two meanings. We can go without the things we need to sharpen our attention towards spiritual things. We can also go without, or outside ourselves, to help others with their wants and needs. This action brings blessings to us and those we serve. Both meanings will often require added strength to accomplish.
I also believe that fasting alone is not enough. With a wry smile, I tell my children that fasting without a purpose is just starving. Our attitude can make all the difference. When we fast with the right intent, and our prayers provide added purpose, miracles can happen.
When Jesus returned from the mount of transfiguration with Peter, James, and John, he found the other nine apostles a bit discouraged. They had tried to help a man cast a spirit out from his son. The apostles had failed and asked Jesus why they could not help the man’s son. Jesus replied in Matthew 17:20-21, "Because of your unbelief.... Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Not only did he teach them that prayer and fasting can increase our faith, it can also give us added strength to do the things God has commanded us to do. I may not be possessed of an evil spirit, but there are times I allow myself to be controlled by a spirit of fear. That mood or temperament can similarly be dispelled by honoring the intent of the law.
I think it may be worth pondering other ways that we might apply the principle of fasting in our lives – ways in which we might give up something we want or need to bless the life of someone else. Fasting is yet another principle with promise.
You might say that fasting feels like a task to be endured. Or perhaps you have found that it is a better experience than you once thought. In turn, I might say, it depends on how you look at it. If we look to meet the intent, then shall thy light break forth as the morning. I don’t know that you can fully appreciate a sunrise until you have seen it for yourself. How blessed we are when it comes.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Okay, I Give In
What is the hardest thing you have ever done in your life? I have thought about this question a lot the last two weeks, both on my trip to the Philmont Training Camp and on a pioneer trek experience I returned from yesterday. I was recently reminded by David Beck that we need to help our youth do hard things. When we do hard things, we gain confidence and strength. Thinking about how I will help my kids to do hard things has made me consider my own mountains.
Years ago when I was making up my mind about what I wanted to be when I grew up, I had a dream of being a teacher like my father and my grandfather. At the time I proposed to my wife, I didn’t have a job and I didn’t have any immediate prospects. I think she had a lot of faith accepting my proposal without a definite plan in sight of how I would provide for her. Maybe she trusted me because there are a number of teachers in her family, too.
One definite advantage of my career choice was the benefit of having a lot of time with my family. The opportunity to take a few months off each summer and spend time with them really appealed to me. I also had fond memories of when my Mom and Dad were both home in the afternoon when I was. We had a modest income that you might expect for school teachers, but my growing up years were rich with the time I was able to spend with my parents. I wanted that for my kids.
Shortly after my wife and I were married, I experienced a disappointment regarding my career plans. I went through some training, had a student teaching experience, and realized that my choice wasn’t going to work out the way I thought. I was discouraged. Feeling the weight of providing for a family, I began to look at other alternatives. The hardest thing for me to give up was the ability to give my family the lifestyle that I had had. As I chose another career, I recognized that I had still gotten much of what I wanted, it just required a different path.
Another desire I had at that time in my life was to serve the Lord. After completing a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I wanted more – I wanted to do more for the Lord because I was so grateful for what He had done for me. Unfortunately, I had little to offer. While I may have had the interest and motivation, I did not have much else I could bring to the table. It was then that I began to be taught by Father about sacrifice.
You have to have something before you can give it away. I realized at that point in my life that I had very little experience to offer. It was then that I decided on two things that would shape my career, my life, and my family. I needed gain some skills that would support my family and be something that I could offer Father when needed so that I could help with His work. Secondly, I felt as though I needed to do something that I could be passionate enough about that one day it would be meaningful enough to sacrifice.
Since then, I have a hard time thinking of sacrifice in terms of merely giving something up. Whenever I have sacrificed something that I have needed, or wanted very badly, I have been blessed with more than I ever gave up. Each time Father requires something of me, it has been difficult. But I have learned that the sacrifice is never without reward. “Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.” (Hymn 27, "Praise to the Man”) Recognizing this repeating pattern in my life has allowed me greater strength to do hard things, to give up things that I really want. When I feel that Father in Heaven wants me to give up something, and I feel the confirmation of the Holy Ghost, I just remind myself that something better must be around the corner. I have seen my temporal circumstances improve. I have also seen relationships improve. Father really knows what is best when He asks us to do something. Everything He does is for our benefit and progression. I now see sacrifice as a test with promise rather than an exercise in restraint.
I believe there is a big difference in giving up and giving in. The first expression may suggest quitting, stopping, or holding back any effort because the goal is no longer worthy of pursuit. “Giving in” may imply submission and a continued effort in a different direction. I occasionally remind myself to “submit rather than forfeit.” If I am not willing to submit to the will of Father I may forfeit the blessings He is waiting to give me.
King Mosiah taught his people an important truth about our natures. We are not inclined to give up things that we need or want. This makes it easier to trust in ourselves, our appetites, and our interests than it is to trust in the Lord. In Mosiah 3:19 he taught, “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” The word yield is so critical here. It does not mean stop, it merely implies giving the right of way to something more important, particularly the promptings of the Holy Ghost. It is at that moment that we become something greater than we currently are.
I know that God cannot lie. Further I know that he can and does speak to us and that he will not lead us astray. Because I know this to be true, I can know with surety that when the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart and asks me to put aside something of value to me, it is the best thing I can possibly do. If I do, I know I will be happier. I don’t usually see the clarity of the decision when I am making it, but I have learned to trust Him. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and I know He truly loves His children.
Another ancient prophet, Mormon, taught that we should lay hold upon every good thing. In Moroni 7:19 he said, “Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.” It stands to reason that our hands can only hold so much at any given time. How can we possibly lay hold on every good thing unless we are willing to let go of that which we currently have, be it our sins, our pride, our vanity, or even our worthy interests and desires. God rewards the faithful who let their faith guide their actions.
We each have hard things to do. This week I made one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. I am sure there will be harder and harder choices for me as there are for each of us. I am just grateful to know that Father is always right. He has never been wrong. My faith in that principle makes it much easier to give in.
Years ago when I was making up my mind about what I wanted to be when I grew up, I had a dream of being a teacher like my father and my grandfather. At the time I proposed to my wife, I didn’t have a job and I didn’t have any immediate prospects. I think she had a lot of faith accepting my proposal without a definite plan in sight of how I would provide for her. Maybe she trusted me because there are a number of teachers in her family, too.
One definite advantage of my career choice was the benefit of having a lot of time with my family. The opportunity to take a few months off each summer and spend time with them really appealed to me. I also had fond memories of when my Mom and Dad were both home in the afternoon when I was. We had a modest income that you might expect for school teachers, but my growing up years were rich with the time I was able to spend with my parents. I wanted that for my kids.
Shortly after my wife and I were married, I experienced a disappointment regarding my career plans. I went through some training, had a student teaching experience, and realized that my choice wasn’t going to work out the way I thought. I was discouraged. Feeling the weight of providing for a family, I began to look at other alternatives. The hardest thing for me to give up was the ability to give my family the lifestyle that I had had. As I chose another career, I recognized that I had still gotten much of what I wanted, it just required a different path.
Another desire I had at that time in my life was to serve the Lord. After completing a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I wanted more – I wanted to do more for the Lord because I was so grateful for what He had done for me. Unfortunately, I had little to offer. While I may have had the interest and motivation, I did not have much else I could bring to the table. It was then that I began to be taught by Father about sacrifice.
You have to have something before you can give it away. I realized at that point in my life that I had very little experience to offer. It was then that I decided on two things that would shape my career, my life, and my family. I needed gain some skills that would support my family and be something that I could offer Father when needed so that I could help with His work. Secondly, I felt as though I needed to do something that I could be passionate enough about that one day it would be meaningful enough to sacrifice.
Since then, I have a hard time thinking of sacrifice in terms of merely giving something up. Whenever I have sacrificed something that I have needed, or wanted very badly, I have been blessed with more than I ever gave up. Each time Father requires something of me, it has been difficult. But I have learned that the sacrifice is never without reward. “Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven.” (Hymn 27, "Praise to the Man”) Recognizing this repeating pattern in my life has allowed me greater strength to do hard things, to give up things that I really want. When I feel that Father in Heaven wants me to give up something, and I feel the confirmation of the Holy Ghost, I just remind myself that something better must be around the corner. I have seen my temporal circumstances improve. I have also seen relationships improve. Father really knows what is best when He asks us to do something. Everything He does is for our benefit and progression. I now see sacrifice as a test with promise rather than an exercise in restraint.
I believe there is a big difference in giving up and giving in. The first expression may suggest quitting, stopping, or holding back any effort because the goal is no longer worthy of pursuit. “Giving in” may imply submission and a continued effort in a different direction. I occasionally remind myself to “submit rather than forfeit.” If I am not willing to submit to the will of Father I may forfeit the blessings He is waiting to give me.
King Mosiah taught his people an important truth about our natures. We are not inclined to give up things that we need or want. This makes it easier to trust in ourselves, our appetites, and our interests than it is to trust in the Lord. In Mosiah 3:19 he taught, “For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” The word yield is so critical here. It does not mean stop, it merely implies giving the right of way to something more important, particularly the promptings of the Holy Ghost. It is at that moment that we become something greater than we currently are.
I know that God cannot lie. Further I know that he can and does speak to us and that he will not lead us astray. Because I know this to be true, I can know with surety that when the Holy Spirit speaks to my heart and asks me to put aside something of value to me, it is the best thing I can possibly do. If I do, I know I will be happier. I don’t usually see the clarity of the decision when I am making it, but I have learned to trust Him. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and I know He truly loves His children.
Another ancient prophet, Mormon, taught that we should lay hold upon every good thing. In Moroni 7:19 he said, “Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ.” It stands to reason that our hands can only hold so much at any given time. How can we possibly lay hold on every good thing unless we are willing to let go of that which we currently have, be it our sins, our pride, our vanity, or even our worthy interests and desires. God rewards the faithful who let their faith guide their actions.
We each have hard things to do. This week I made one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. I am sure there will be harder and harder choices for me as there are for each of us. I am just grateful to know that Father is always right. He has never been wrong. My faith in that principle makes it much easier to give in.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Admiring and Acquiring
A friend and I were walking through an art gallery a few years ago when we noticed a glass sculpture of a woman wearing a cloak. The vague figure was positioned on a pedestal and stood about two feet taller than its base. The abstract sculpture was created by stacking layers of glass; the green edges of the glass gave it the appearance of jade. I would pass by it to look at other work only to find myself returning again and again to admire the piece. I realized that I liked the sculpture enough to consider purchasing it. Then I looked at the price. I think it was worth just over $4,000, but it was money I didn’t have. Perhaps that is a good thing.
I was really disappointed on a couple of levels. I knew I could easily enjoy that particular sculpture for a long time and wouldn’t get bored of it. I also knew it would likely not be in the gallery very long. As I thought, it was only there a few weeks and then it was gone. Feeling sad that I couldn’t afford the piece I admired, I later bought a small print that was a percent of the cost I had first considered. It wasn’t the same, but it was something.
Numerous times since then I have admired other things enough to consider acquiring them. Most of the time I don’t purchase them, but I sure want to. Other times I have thought the purchase important enough to save up for months and then follow through. Regardless of the size of the purchase, I always find it more tempting go through with a purchase when I have the means to do it. Sometimes it is not a matter of whether I should, but whether or not I can.
I have since tried to consider what causes me to admire and eventually acquire something. After discussing the matter with my wife and some friends, I have come to a few conclusions.
Personally I tend to admire things that improve my quality of life. I like beautiful things that are well designed. More specifically, I like things that inspire me, or connect me with something else, be it a memory, a relationship, or sometimes an idea. There is great value to me in a painting or a book that can connect me with an emotion or a thought, a connection that can take me some place that I might not otherwise go.
A few months ago, the friend I first spoke of acquired a painting that we are both fond of. It is the contemporary work of a local artist, Hyunmee Lee. The painting is now hung on a large lobby wall at the office where we work. Each time I walk by the painting I admire it, largely because it inspires me to think beyond the ordinary. I appreciate it for its simplicity and richness. In a theoretical way, it inspires me to give more depth to my own creative work. I want to move past the superficial and cut to the essence. Briefly put, it helps me get to a more creative frame of mind quicker. It creates a connection with a deeper meaning that improves my work. In this way, the painting connects me with a source of inspiration and allows me to become something I currently am not. When this happens on a regular basis, the object has the potential of improving and enhancing my life. While I admire the painting, it is the connection to greater meaning that captivates my attention.
My wife has a different but essential approach to improving our quality of life. Many of the things she admires enough to acquire are practical in nature – things that make life better by simplifying. Her acquisitions tend to reduce the amount of time she needs to spend on certain tasks. This allows her to spend more time on things that have greater meaning, such as our family. Having the right tools to complete regular tasks in less time can mean more time together. This allows us to build memories and experiences that we will have the rest of our lives.
An additional reason for acquiring earthly things is to meet our personal needs. Because those needs can vary so widely for each individual, the question of when to acquire something may also be better answered by the individual. I would prefer not to judge another’s needs or circumstances. But knowing that needs can often change, and are sometimes insatiable, I believe it is worth some introspection to evaluate when we should and shouldn’t acquire. I occasionally watch my personal wants slide into the needs category. I can also come up with some pretty good arguments, when I want to, as to why they should. However, I also recognize that sometimes you just can’t let yourself want the things you want.
Joseph Smith stated in the thirteenth article of faith, “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” The word seek also merits some personal reflection. What does it mean for us to seek? While seeking can often mean acquiring, in some cases looking and searching may be sufficient. At other times the word “seek” may imply emulation. If we are clear on what our needs are, and how we may best meet them, we may not be required to acquire as much as we think.
Whether we acquire or simply admire, it is in our natures to connect ourselves with other things. Material possessions are not our only pursuit. We may seek friendship, mutual understanding, or even knowledge. Regardless of our pursuit, we should remember that in mortality, we can’t connect to everything. We have to choose. We choose our relationships, and our possessions. We have to choose how we spend our time.
Whatever your reasons may be for admiring something or someone, I believe the potential for satisfaction increases greatly when we are deliberate in our decisions. Making a choice because it is the default option or a matter of habit is often the non-choice. Making a decision because it is the right decision is much easier to defend.
I was really disappointed on a couple of levels. I knew I could easily enjoy that particular sculpture for a long time and wouldn’t get bored of it. I also knew it would likely not be in the gallery very long. As I thought, it was only there a few weeks and then it was gone. Feeling sad that I couldn’t afford the piece I admired, I later bought a small print that was a percent of the cost I had first considered. It wasn’t the same, but it was something.
Numerous times since then I have admired other things enough to consider acquiring them. Most of the time I don’t purchase them, but I sure want to. Other times I have thought the purchase important enough to save up for months and then follow through. Regardless of the size of the purchase, I always find it more tempting go through with a purchase when I have the means to do it. Sometimes it is not a matter of whether I should, but whether or not I can.
I have since tried to consider what causes me to admire and eventually acquire something. After discussing the matter with my wife and some friends, I have come to a few conclusions.
Personally I tend to admire things that improve my quality of life. I like beautiful things that are well designed. More specifically, I like things that inspire me, or connect me with something else, be it a memory, a relationship, or sometimes an idea. There is great value to me in a painting or a book that can connect me with an emotion or a thought, a connection that can take me some place that I might not otherwise go.
A few months ago, the friend I first spoke of acquired a painting that we are both fond of. It is the contemporary work of a local artist, Hyunmee Lee. The painting is now hung on a large lobby wall at the office where we work. Each time I walk by the painting I admire it, largely because it inspires me to think beyond the ordinary. I appreciate it for its simplicity and richness. In a theoretical way, it inspires me to give more depth to my own creative work. I want to move past the superficial and cut to the essence. Briefly put, it helps me get to a more creative frame of mind quicker. It creates a connection with a deeper meaning that improves my work. In this way, the painting connects me with a source of inspiration and allows me to become something I currently am not. When this happens on a regular basis, the object has the potential of improving and enhancing my life. While I admire the painting, it is the connection to greater meaning that captivates my attention.
My wife has a different but essential approach to improving our quality of life. Many of the things she admires enough to acquire are practical in nature – things that make life better by simplifying. Her acquisitions tend to reduce the amount of time she needs to spend on certain tasks. This allows her to spend more time on things that have greater meaning, such as our family. Having the right tools to complete regular tasks in less time can mean more time together. This allows us to build memories and experiences that we will have the rest of our lives.
An additional reason for acquiring earthly things is to meet our personal needs. Because those needs can vary so widely for each individual, the question of when to acquire something may also be better answered by the individual. I would prefer not to judge another’s needs or circumstances. But knowing that needs can often change, and are sometimes insatiable, I believe it is worth some introspection to evaluate when we should and shouldn’t acquire. I occasionally watch my personal wants slide into the needs category. I can also come up with some pretty good arguments, when I want to, as to why they should. However, I also recognize that sometimes you just can’t let yourself want the things you want.
Joseph Smith stated in the thirteenth article of faith, “If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.” The word seek also merits some personal reflection. What does it mean for us to seek? While seeking can often mean acquiring, in some cases looking and searching may be sufficient. At other times the word “seek” may imply emulation. If we are clear on what our needs are, and how we may best meet them, we may not be required to acquire as much as we think.
Whether we acquire or simply admire, it is in our natures to connect ourselves with other things. Material possessions are not our only pursuit. We may seek friendship, mutual understanding, or even knowledge. Regardless of our pursuit, we should remember that in mortality, we can’t connect to everything. We have to choose. We choose our relationships, and our possessions. We have to choose how we spend our time.
Whatever your reasons may be for admiring something or someone, I believe the potential for satisfaction increases greatly when we are deliberate in our decisions. Making a choice because it is the default option or a matter of habit is often the non-choice. Making a decision because it is the right decision is much easier to defend.
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