Four years ago I made the mistake of missing a return airplane flight on President’s Day weekend. I was not aware of how busy that particular Friday was for flyers and thought I might be able to arrange another departure. I was wrong. Worse yet, I disappointed my wife. My missed departure equated to a lost opportunity for a Friday night date we had been planning for a while. Saddened, after discovering that all outgoing flights were not only sold out but were overbooked, I had to figure out what I would do for accommodations. I went back to the car rental where I had just returned my car only to pick up another. My next task was to find a hotel room for the weekend. Admittedly, my decisions left me with circumstances I had not expected.
While Independence, Missouri, is a cold place to be in February, it is very different in the summer. In my effort to make the best of an extended business trip, I revisited memories of previous trips – times when leaves on trees were full and green rather than bleakly missing. I recalled driving through that part of the country, appreciating its recent and ancient history. In my memory, I appreciated the beauty of what I had known before. What I saw in front of me on that trip was a completely different context.
It was a sad irony that my attempt to leave Independence left me trapped and stranded from the home I wished to return to. Another small irony was that I was trying to leave by choice when, not quite two hundred years ago, many of my ancestors who had lived in that same area were forced to abandon their homes and lands, and leave against their will. Almost overnight, they had no accommodations and were at the mercy of other settlers who took them in and gave them a place to stay. They, too, left in the cold of winter, but they did not have rental cars or hotel rooms to comfort them. I was attempting to get home. They had to leave theirs.
Not far from this area is a place called Adam-ondi-Ahman, a name my ancestors referred to as the land where Adam dwelt. The valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman is now used for crops and is a quite a fertile area. Because of its namesake, I have wondered how fertile it might have been in comparison to the Garden of Eden. What were conditions really like there? What was summer like? How severe was winter when Adam and Eve were driven out? To what home did they then go?
The ancient account of leaving the fertile garden was partly out of choice, and partly by requirement. Yes, Adam and Eve were driven from the Garden of Eden by God, but only after having made the choice that triggered the consequence. First, they were warned of what would happen should they choose to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Then they chose.
God commanded Adam, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee; but, remember that I forbid it, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Moses 3:16-17)
I wonder if we received similar instruction in the grand council in heaven before coming to this earth. When the plan of our Father in heaven was presented, were we not also warned of what would happen should we choose to accept His plan, requiring us to gain knowledge and choose between good and evil? Did we not accept the conditions of death as part of mortality? How much did we know? We didn’t know what death was like because we hadn’t experienced it. We didn’t know how temptations would affect a mortal body, either. Yet we knew enough to follow Jehovah and reject Lucifer during the war in heaven. We knew enough to choose sides and pick between good and evil.
In a sense, choosing to leave the premortal world was no different than choosing to leave the Garden of Eden. Whether our choice or the choice of Adam and Eve, it was a choice to leave the presence of God so that we could be tested. The weight of this choice can only be fully understood when we acknowledge what was being left behind. We chose to leave our home in heaven, to become strangers in a strange land. Adam and Eve chose to accept the consequences of death that they might become as gods knowing good and evil.
After the fall, the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam and he said, “Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.” Eve having heard this was glad and said, “Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.” (Moses 5:10-11)
These verses of scripture hold an interesting contradiction. Adam and Eve were warned by God what would happen if they ate the forbidden fruit. Yet after their transgression, the Holy Ghost comes as a reward and comforts them. Adam acknowledges that he will have joy that he could not have experienced otherwise. Eve expresses her hope for eternal life through obedience. Both were glad for their decision. When Adam and Eve chose death, they also chose the opportunity to have eternal life. While they didn’t know this until after they had eaten the forbidden fruit, they were persuaded by the serpent to become like God. While it was his intent to deceive Adam and Eve, it was the intent of God to save them. The apparent contradiction between God’s warning and the reaction of Adam and Eve after their fall represents a paradox more than conflicting circumstances.
A choice to leave the Garden is a choice to accept opposition. It is also a choice to let go of something we know in exchange for something better. The greater reward comes with a cost. As we choose to meet opposition, and choose between good and evil, we become something better. We become converted, and we become worthy. By choice, we become like God.
God cursed the ground for Adam and Eve’s sake, not as a punishment but that they might have joy. The path is sweat and sorrow, thorns and thistles, yet our reward is heaven and eternal life. Seeing through the opposition – not only of good and evil, but between pleasure and sorrow, weakness and strength – requires us to have faith, and the more the better. To live in the world but not of it challenges us to become strong in adversity. The desire for happiness when we suffer from loss invites us to seek help from a loving Father who loves to care for His children. Striving to overcome our weaknesses in the hope of finding strength demands all the faith we can provide. The beauty of this offering is that our faith is then matched, increased, and returned in greater abundance. Faith in God never fails, but turns to charity as we feel His love and as our love for Him grows in our hearts. Thus the pathway is not punishment but perfection.
I believe that repeatedly each of us is required to leave our own intermittent Gardens of Eden. It takes faith to face a situation that will require a willing sacrifice, believing that the result will be greater. It requires our trust in God that His way is always better. When we are willing to let go of the things we know, we have nothing to trust in but the things we do not know but hope to believe. This is Father’s purpose. He invites us, through faith on His Only Begotten Son, to believe though we cannot see, as we follow the enticings of His Holy Spirit. This leap of faith requires us to leave Eden to travel through our own wilderness, our destination being our heavenly home. This test proves to ourselves just how valuable the heavenly gift means to us. More importantly, it demonstrates the strength of our love for God.
Isaiah the prophet taught that the Lord will comfort His people. When we look to Abraham and Sarah, like Adam and Eve, and we keep the covenants God made with them, he will give us the same blessings. Isaiah said, “Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” (Isaiah 51:1-3)
Adam and Eve left the garden to face death and brought children into the world. Abraham left his garden as he ascended the Mount in Moriah to offer his son, Isaac. He found comfort in the promises of the Lord. The early pioneers who left Missouri faced the martyrdom of Carthage and the despair of Nauvoo, but found their Zion where the desert was made a garden. Each of us may find comfort in our places of despair when we face our wilderness with faith. The first step is to leave the comfort of our home in Eden in the hope of arriving at a better place.
The prophet Mormon taught us, “if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ. And now, my brethren, how is it possible that ye can lay hold upon every good thing? And now I come to that faith, of which I said I would speak; and I will tell you the way whereby ye may lay hold on every good thing.” (Moroni 7:19-21)
As we hear the words of Christ and exercise faith in Him, we increase our ability to lay hold upon every good thing. But first we must let go of our fears, our pride, and our vanity. If we fail to do so, these things possess our hearts and leave no room for faith. When we release our grasp on the things that we treasure in our hearts, trusting that God is always right, then will our deserts be turned into gardens, and joy and gladness will fill our hearts. This is the purpose of our existence, that we might have joy through the Lord.
Repeatedly this last year, I have felt as though I have had promptings to give up things that were very valuable to me. I have been asked to give up my Eden. Each time I have left the comfort and security of the garden – each time I was willing to submit to and yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit and make an offering of faith to the Lord – He has rewarded me like Abraham, accepting my willingness and allowing me to keep my treasure. Whether our trials are lengthy or temporary, the anguish of our departure will always be softened by faith. Like a missed plane flight, some things are only temporary. Blessings may be delayed like an inconvenient layover, but the Lord always keeps His promises, and He always rewards faith. I may have more gardens to leave before I am finished, but I become less and less afraid knowing that God’s way is always better, and is often inclusive.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Showing posts with label Happiness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Happiness. Show all posts
Sunday, May 2, 2010
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, October 4, 2009
Happiness – Sometimes a Gift, Usually a Choice
Occasionally I will wake from a dream that has a certain familiarity. I may be in a place I have never seen before, but usually this doesn’t occur to me during the dream. Instead my attention is focused on how beautiful the setting feels. I don’t see all the detail, but I feel it, and I comprehend its richness. In these particular dreams, I am able to move freely, to explore and soak in the feeling. I will often encounter a friend or relation in such places. Like the rich detail of the setting, little is said, but the conversation is deep and meaningful. The common theme in each of these dreams is peace and contentment. My happiness is full.
Without success, I resist waking. Not always, but usually, the happiness of the experience spills out into the rest of my day and I am left to marvel at the power of that brief moment. Once I am awake, I can choose to think about it again and again, or I can leave it behind. Many are the dreams that I no longer remember, but there are also dreams that I will likely never forget. Such dreams are gifts to me – evidence of a happiness once experienced. They are memories I can carry in my pocket.
If you have had such dreams, you have probably also experienced a “rude awakening” at some point. In this case, the awakening takes place some time after you have awoken from the dream. For me, it has been at a moment when a problem, and often one that I thought had been solved, reintroduces itself with the intent to become reacquainted. Suddenly, the happiness I felt is gone and the unwelcomed intruder is despised for robbing me of my peace.
My life seems to be full of these moments – episodes of happiness and disappointment. The contrast can be quite stark. Whether I like it or not, this alternating current is part of Father’s Plan of Happiness.
I remember one occasion as a little boy when I was bored. My parents were busy watching a session of General Conference on the television, and it wasn’t nearly enough to hold my attention. Thinking of a solution to my problem, I remembered a small cardboard box that Dad kept some items to make small electrical repairs. I retrieved the box and went into the kitchen.
In the box were a variety of electrical parts and pieces. I recognized some cylindrical fuses (if you are old enough you may recall the fuse boxes that were used in homes before circuit breakers.) Dad used these to replace old fuses in the wall. There was also a small power cord that had been removed from some appliance, and some electrical tape. I’m sure there were other items, but like my dreams, I don’t remember all the details.
Not knowing exactly what these pieces did, I figured my curiosity would teach me what I needed to know. First I took several fuses and arranged them in a circle. I didn’t know what circuit meant back then, but a circle seemed like a good thing to try. Then I carefully placed some small uncoated wire around the tops of the fuses and secured them with the electrical tape. The crowning moment was when I connected the wire to the scrap of power cord in the box and plugged my new invention into the wall. I really didn’t know what to expect, but I was full of anticipation. At that moment I realized a couple things. First, no one was interested in General Conference anymore. And, secondly, I discovered that I didn’t know much about electricity.
The sparks that suddenly appeared were accompanied by a very loud noise. That part was pretty exciting. The commotion was enough to get my parents away from the TV and in front of my invention. Success! Or so I thought. I think they had a rude awakening of sorts. I didn’t receive any harm from the power outlet, just a serious reprimand from my Dad; and that was fortunate on both counts. It didn’t take a scientist to tell me that my invention was going nowhere. I may have had the right parts, but I didn’t have the understanding of what to do with them.
Sometimes I wonder if I understand happiness any better than dreams or alternating current. I have had many failed attempts at finding the peace of my dreams. Sometimes I have the right elements, but I flounder as if I don’t know what to do with them. Unfortunately, this is where I am mistaken. I have been taught the parts and pieces to lasting happiness. However, it is as though I still have some childhood boredom and I try to invent some new path to happiness.
I often watch my children fall into a slump of unhappiness when something doesn’t go their way. Usually they experience their own rude awakening when a sibling teases or says something mean or hurtful. Perhaps they were hoping for one more helping of apple pie, only to find out that it is all gone. Quite often they are unhappy about a homework assignment that seems to get in the way of their Game Cube time in front of the television. Each of those examples provides understandable reasons for being sad. The hard part is helping them understand how to sort out the pieces and plug them in the right places so they don’t let their sadness overwhelm them. As often as I have told them, “Don’t let that get you down. Cheer up. You can choose to be happy.” I find myself making the same choices. We are not so very different from our children. The only difference is the sophisticated garb that we surround our desires for happiness with.
The more experience I get, and the more successful experience I have with happiness, the more I recognize that happiness is sometimes a gift but is usually a choice. Here are a few parts and pieces that I have figured out how to plug in the right places.
The prophet Lehi taught his son, Jacob, important truths about happiness in 2 Nephi 2:11. “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one….”
Being a compound in one implies that you cannot have happiness without sadness. It is the depth of contrast between the two that gives such rich meaning and appreciation. Focusing on one without acknowledgement of the other limits both the happiness we can enjoy and the sadness we can endure. Difficult experiences lead us to treasure moments of happiness and place greater value on peace. Similarly, treasured experiences provide the hope to endure periods of sadness and discouragement for desires that are not yet realized.
Happiness and sadness are like a pair of shoes in a foot race. You need both to sustain a long journey. (My wife pointed out to me the absurdity of hopping along in one shoe.) Each shoe takes a step forward, allowing the other to propel forward in turn. Sadness defines greater happiness when it is experienced, and happiness provides the power to endure. Sometimes we are tempted to search for happiness without sorrow. We may also be tempted to dwell too much on our present sadness which keeps us from taking the next step towards being happy again. Both have a proper place.
Lehi continues with another empowering key in verses 14, 16, and 26. “And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon. ... Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other. ... And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.”
Lehi teaches us that God has created things to act and things to be acted upon. God has also given us agency that we should act for ourselves. This means, as he states, we are to act, and not be acted upon.
I don’t believe this means we will not feel outside pressures that appear to be acting upon us. Rather, we are to learn that these outside influences cannot control us as much as we think they do. They are merely creations that were intended for us to act upon. They are the object lesson for our benefit. This subtle difference places greater focus and priority on God’s children and less emphasis on either the difficult or pleasurable experience that we respond to. Father wants us to be happy, and He has created things through His Only Begotten that allow us that opportunity.
Agency is choice. And choice is a God-given right that cannot be taken away. We may find ourselves compelled to action by outside forces or constraints, but we can choose our actions. If we choose to align our actions with outside demands, such as a need to provide for a family, or an obligation to help a friend or family member in a difficult circumstance, we can still choose how we feel about it and which way we will orient our heart.
Lehi further reminds Jacob, “But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:24-25) I trust in Father, who knows all things, that this combination of sadness and joy is the path to eternal happiness. It is just what we need to learn to be like our Father. This is His Plan of Happiness.
The most important key for our happiness comes in the next few verses of scripture from Lehi to Jacob. In 2 Nephi 2:27-29 we read, “Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit; And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.”
Father has given us everything we need to succeed. We are free to act and not be acted upon. Circumstances that may seem otherwise are illusions, like a veil, that allow us to have faith in our Father – faith that the only way to His happiness is by obedience to His commandments. Failure to follow His precise directions will cause us to fall in places that make it difficult to get up. I think that is when I am most miserable.
The prophet Alma taught his son, Corianton, “Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.” (Alma 41:10) While we may not be guaranteed happiness without sadness, choosing to be happy is synonymous to choosing to be holy. Looking for happiness in the wrong places is no different than plugging a misconstructed circuit of parts and pieces into a power outlet, hoping that something extraordinary will happen. Well… something might happen, but there are better ways of using powerful motivations to secure the peace we want. Happiness doesn’t always just happen. Happiness can be a deliberate choice in spite of the circumstances around us.
I am grateful for examples of strength such as Joshua, or Enoch, who say with solid resolve, “choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
So much of my happiness is dependent upon my expectations. If I expect to find happiness where there isn’t any, I will always be disappointed. Like C.S. Lewis said, “God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing." If I am not content with what I have, I will always be searching to satisfy an insatiable appetite. But if I learn to rely upon the Lord, day by day, I know He will not lead me astray. Father keeps His promises.
There is a relationship between dreams and actions that is very much akin to faith and works. In those moments when we dream and there is nothing to harm nor hinder that moment, we are given a taste of what we can experience in reality when we awake. But this depends upon our choices.
This last year has been the happiest in my entire life, and it truly has been a gift. I think the greatest part of the gift has been an understanding of what will truly make me happy and then having the strength to do it.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Without success, I resist waking. Not always, but usually, the happiness of the experience spills out into the rest of my day and I am left to marvel at the power of that brief moment. Once I am awake, I can choose to think about it again and again, or I can leave it behind. Many are the dreams that I no longer remember, but there are also dreams that I will likely never forget. Such dreams are gifts to me – evidence of a happiness once experienced. They are memories I can carry in my pocket.
If you have had such dreams, you have probably also experienced a “rude awakening” at some point. In this case, the awakening takes place some time after you have awoken from the dream. For me, it has been at a moment when a problem, and often one that I thought had been solved, reintroduces itself with the intent to become reacquainted. Suddenly, the happiness I felt is gone and the unwelcomed intruder is despised for robbing me of my peace.
My life seems to be full of these moments – episodes of happiness and disappointment. The contrast can be quite stark. Whether I like it or not, this alternating current is part of Father’s Plan of Happiness.
I remember one occasion as a little boy when I was bored. My parents were busy watching a session of General Conference on the television, and it wasn’t nearly enough to hold my attention. Thinking of a solution to my problem, I remembered a small cardboard box that Dad kept some items to make small electrical repairs. I retrieved the box and went into the kitchen.
In the box were a variety of electrical parts and pieces. I recognized some cylindrical fuses (if you are old enough you may recall the fuse boxes that were used in homes before circuit breakers.) Dad used these to replace old fuses in the wall. There was also a small power cord that had been removed from some appliance, and some electrical tape. I’m sure there were other items, but like my dreams, I don’t remember all the details.
Not knowing exactly what these pieces did, I figured my curiosity would teach me what I needed to know. First I took several fuses and arranged them in a circle. I didn’t know what circuit meant back then, but a circle seemed like a good thing to try. Then I carefully placed some small uncoated wire around the tops of the fuses and secured them with the electrical tape. The crowning moment was when I connected the wire to the scrap of power cord in the box and plugged my new invention into the wall. I really didn’t know what to expect, but I was full of anticipation. At that moment I realized a couple things. First, no one was interested in General Conference anymore. And, secondly, I discovered that I didn’t know much about electricity.
The sparks that suddenly appeared were accompanied by a very loud noise. That part was pretty exciting. The commotion was enough to get my parents away from the TV and in front of my invention. Success! Or so I thought. I think they had a rude awakening of sorts. I didn’t receive any harm from the power outlet, just a serious reprimand from my Dad; and that was fortunate on both counts. It didn’t take a scientist to tell me that my invention was going nowhere. I may have had the right parts, but I didn’t have the understanding of what to do with them.
Sometimes I wonder if I understand happiness any better than dreams or alternating current. I have had many failed attempts at finding the peace of my dreams. Sometimes I have the right elements, but I flounder as if I don’t know what to do with them. Unfortunately, this is where I am mistaken. I have been taught the parts and pieces to lasting happiness. However, it is as though I still have some childhood boredom and I try to invent some new path to happiness.
I often watch my children fall into a slump of unhappiness when something doesn’t go their way. Usually they experience their own rude awakening when a sibling teases or says something mean or hurtful. Perhaps they were hoping for one more helping of apple pie, only to find out that it is all gone. Quite often they are unhappy about a homework assignment that seems to get in the way of their Game Cube time in front of the television. Each of those examples provides understandable reasons for being sad. The hard part is helping them understand how to sort out the pieces and plug them in the right places so they don’t let their sadness overwhelm them. As often as I have told them, “Don’t let that get you down. Cheer up. You can choose to be happy.” I find myself making the same choices. We are not so very different from our children. The only difference is the sophisticated garb that we surround our desires for happiness with.
The more experience I get, and the more successful experience I have with happiness, the more I recognize that happiness is sometimes a gift but is usually a choice. Here are a few parts and pieces that I have figured out how to plug in the right places.
The prophet Lehi taught his son, Jacob, important truths about happiness in 2 Nephi 2:11. “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one….”
Being a compound in one implies that you cannot have happiness without sadness. It is the depth of contrast between the two that gives such rich meaning and appreciation. Focusing on one without acknowledgement of the other limits both the happiness we can enjoy and the sadness we can endure. Difficult experiences lead us to treasure moments of happiness and place greater value on peace. Similarly, treasured experiences provide the hope to endure periods of sadness and discouragement for desires that are not yet realized.
Happiness and sadness are like a pair of shoes in a foot race. You need both to sustain a long journey. (My wife pointed out to me the absurdity of hopping along in one shoe.) Each shoe takes a step forward, allowing the other to propel forward in turn. Sadness defines greater happiness when it is experienced, and happiness provides the power to endure. Sometimes we are tempted to search for happiness without sorrow. We may also be tempted to dwell too much on our present sadness which keeps us from taking the next step towards being happy again. Both have a proper place.
Lehi continues with another empowering key in verses 14, 16, and 26. “And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon. ... Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other. ... And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.”
Lehi teaches us that God has created things to act and things to be acted upon. God has also given us agency that we should act for ourselves. This means, as he states, we are to act, and not be acted upon.
I don’t believe this means we will not feel outside pressures that appear to be acting upon us. Rather, we are to learn that these outside influences cannot control us as much as we think they do. They are merely creations that were intended for us to act upon. They are the object lesson for our benefit. This subtle difference places greater focus and priority on God’s children and less emphasis on either the difficult or pleasurable experience that we respond to. Father wants us to be happy, and He has created things through His Only Begotten that allow us that opportunity.
Agency is choice. And choice is a God-given right that cannot be taken away. We may find ourselves compelled to action by outside forces or constraints, but we can choose our actions. If we choose to align our actions with outside demands, such as a need to provide for a family, or an obligation to help a friend or family member in a difficult circumstance, we can still choose how we feel about it and which way we will orient our heart.
Lehi further reminds Jacob, “But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:24-25) I trust in Father, who knows all things, that this combination of sadness and joy is the path to eternal happiness. It is just what we need to learn to be like our Father. This is His Plan of Happiness.
The most important key for our happiness comes in the next few verses of scripture from Lehi to Jacob. In 2 Nephi 2:27-29 we read, “Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit; And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.”
Father has given us everything we need to succeed. We are free to act and not be acted upon. Circumstances that may seem otherwise are illusions, like a veil, that allow us to have faith in our Father – faith that the only way to His happiness is by obedience to His commandments. Failure to follow His precise directions will cause us to fall in places that make it difficult to get up. I think that is when I am most miserable.
The prophet Alma taught his son, Corianton, “Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.” (Alma 41:10) While we may not be guaranteed happiness without sadness, choosing to be happy is synonymous to choosing to be holy. Looking for happiness in the wrong places is no different than plugging a misconstructed circuit of parts and pieces into a power outlet, hoping that something extraordinary will happen. Well… something might happen, but there are better ways of using powerful motivations to secure the peace we want. Happiness doesn’t always just happen. Happiness can be a deliberate choice in spite of the circumstances around us.
I am grateful for examples of strength such as Joshua, or Enoch, who say with solid resolve, “choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
So much of my happiness is dependent upon my expectations. If I expect to find happiness where there isn’t any, I will always be disappointed. Like C.S. Lewis said, “God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing." If I am not content with what I have, I will always be searching to satisfy an insatiable appetite. But if I learn to rely upon the Lord, day by day, I know He will not lead me astray. Father keeps His promises.
There is a relationship between dreams and actions that is very much akin to faith and works. In those moments when we dream and there is nothing to harm nor hinder that moment, we are given a taste of what we can experience in reality when we awake. But this depends upon our choices.
This last year has been the happiest in my entire life, and it truly has been a gift. I think the greatest part of the gift has been an understanding of what will truly make me happy and then having the strength to do it.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Sunday, August 30, 2009
To Be Content...
A sign that says, “Please feed the bears!” would very much be appreciated at our house. It might serve as a needed reminder to my wife and me of something we already know very well. As we have raised our children, we have observed an interesting phenomenon in which our children undergo a transformation process when they aren’t fed. They turn into bears. On further reflection, we have wondered if they weren’t really bears to begin with, and that feeding them merely kept them domestic. We would be remiss if we failed to recognize where this genetic trait comes from – that their parents are likewise bears who occasionally need to be tamed.
Some of the most peaceful moments in our home are when everyone’s needs have been taken care of. Everyone has had enough sleep, enough to eat, and the right amount of attention. Interestingly enough, those are also times when we have found our children receptive to discussions that help them spiritually. It can be very difficult to help someone with their spiritual needs when their basic needs are not being met.
In contrast, what a difference there is in our home when one of our children’s needs are being met and another’s are not. “It’s not fair!” is a funny little anthem that will echo down the halls of our memory for many years to come. If only I had a dime for each time that expression was repeated, I would have a generous sum. All the same, a piggy bank full of dimes would not negate a store of unmet needs that are often felt by the individual. Needs are real, and so is the desire to be content.
As a boy, I remember a number of occasions when I was hungry and I asked my mom for something to eat. Matters were worse when my hunger was triggered by the smell of freshly baked cookies. The smell seemed an open invitation to come and eat. You see, bears like homemade cookies, and I was no exception. My mom might reply to my request with some nonsensical statement, such as, “You’ll have to wait until dinner so you won’t spoil your appetite.” It wasn’t my appetite for cookies that she was concerned with. Though I wasn’t happy about it, it was really my wellbeing she had in mind.
Our pantry had some specific rules that I sometimes ignored. Then, instead of having my needs met, I got to taste the consequences of my actions. While the occasional treat was mine to enjoy, taking without asking is a practice that is more likely to catch up with you than not. As a fully grown bear, and a tiny bit wiser than I was then, I recognize that life is more complicated than fresh cookies and pantries.
We live in a world full of open invitations. Most of them are not marked with “SALE BY OWNER” signs. Rather they are yard sales full of other people’s things – goods that have somehow found their way to the wrong sale rack. They may smell good, but they are often things that were never intended to be sold for money at all. To make the sale easier and more certain, however, generous third-party partners in the retail business are ready to hand out applications for credit cards and other types of credit. “Buy now, why wait,” is another silly anthem that resonates loud and clear. The world has a misguided definition for satisfaction. Strangely enough, this definition has nothing to do with being “content.”
Like my mother, our Eternal Father is concerned about our wellbeing. He is also very interested in making sure that our needs are met. He has promised, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth…. What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:7-11) I believe this direction to be the simplest and safest way to have our needs met. Father will take care of our needs without putting our wellbeing at risk.
Perhaps being satisfied has more to do with being content than satiated. Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “the craving of the natural man… can never be satisfied. It is an insatiable appetite.” If this is true, then it makes no sense to pursue something that has no end. We are much wiser attempting something that is actually possible to attain. Why search for happiness in places you will never find it when there is a well of living water that never runs out. Jesus taught the woman of Samaria in John 4:14, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
From these passages of scripture, we learn that if we can learn to rely upon the Lord, He will take care of our needs and His supply will never run out. I personally have found these blessings to be both temporal and spiritual. But what is Father really interested in? Of course it is His children, but what does He want for us? He wants us to become like him as I want my children to follow me. I can’t imagine anyone being happier than our Father, so why wouldn’t I want to become like him. I believe the answer is fear.
Usually when I choose not to follow Father, it is because I am afraid. I fear that I will not get what I want. I’m afraid that I will have to wait too long or that my needs will not be met. I start to feel some risk that His words aren’t literal and that I have to choose between what I want and what He wants, as if both were not possible. Simply put, I am deceived and I forget that He will take care of our needs without putting our wellbeing at risk.
Knowing that His children are prone to fear when their faith is weak, Father gives us commandments – His rules of the pantry. He promises blessings when we are obedient, not because He is stingy with what He has, but because He knows that obedience will teach us to rely upon Him. Obedience will ultimately teach us to be content with what He has to offer, which is everything. Following Him and relying upon Him will give us what we need without risk to our eternal salvation. It will teach us not to accept substitutes that cannot satisfy. It will train us to be inherently good like He is.
One danger I feel we often face is feeling that the commandments don’t apply to us – that we are above the rules of the pantry. For some this may be ignorance or indifference to the commandments. For others, we may feel that we have met the letter of the commandments though we may not have met the intent and purpose for which they were given. The latter is carefully illustrated in the Savior’s teachings in the Sermon on the Mount.
I believe that many are apt to think that they keep the commandments because they do not commit murder and they do not commit adultery. Jesus enlarged the scope of these commandments to both the Jews and to the people who inhabited ancient America. In 3 Nephi 12:21-22 we read, “Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, and it is also written before you, that thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment of God; But I say unto you, that whosever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment.” Similarly He teaches us in verses 27 through 28, “Behold, it is written by them of old time, that thou shalt not commit adultery; But I say unto you, that whosever looketh on a woman, to lust after her, hath committed adultery already in his heart.”
I believe the commandments are more effective in our lives when we understand why they were given, and what Father hopes we will learn from them, rather than simply meeting the requirements as an obligatory payment for goods. The adversary tries to deceive us into thinking that immediate action will result in satisfaction. So many times this logic is false. Our Father, on the other hand, knows that we will be happiest if we can learn to live the way He lives. This life is intended to be a learning experience where we choose to become like our Father.
In another verse, the Lord explains an important principle for our happiness. In describing the actions of David and Solomon, ancient kings in Israel, the Lord says in Doctrine & Covenants 132:38, “and in nothing did they sin, save in those things which they received not of me.” I believe this principle can be applied to many other commandments besides adultery. Do we choose to rely upon God for our blessings, or are we too impatient, anxious to take matters into our own hands. Are we willing to ask for permission, or are we afraid that the answer will be, “No, not right now,” even though that may be the right answer.
What happens when we look at coveting in the same manner as the commandments described in the Sermon on the Mount? In Exodus 20:17 we read, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.” There are many times that I have felt I met the requirements of this commandment, to not covet, because I did not plot to have something that belonged to my neighbor. Perhaps there is more to this commandment than I had previously contemplated.
Coveting is not just wanting something that someone else may have, it is a failure to be content with what I already have. This does not mean that I can’t hope for more, but I certainly should be grateful and content with what I have been given. Learning to be content is not easy, but it does show Father that we will wait upon Him for our blessings. It shows that we have faith in His promise, that if we ask we shall receive.
Another principle that will help us see that our needs are met has to do with the sanctifying our hearts and the purifying of our desires. The Lord told Joseph Smith in Doctrine & Covenants 50:29-30, “And if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done. But know this, it shall be given you what you shall ask….” As we prayerfully consider our needs, the Holy Ghost can help us to know if it is in our best interest or not. If it is, then we should ask. We are commanded to. If it is not right, then why should we pursue a path that does not lead to our happiness?
In 3 Nephi 19:24 we read an account of how the Nephites were taught to pray by the Holy Spirit. We read, “And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.”
The more we turn our heart towards God, the more we are filled with desire to do what is right. As we do so, He will help us to know what we should pray for to make sure that our needs are met. When we pray and find that He always answers our prayers, our faith in Him increases because our trust is rewarded. If we truly want to be happy, we should check our desires before seeking to have our needs met. In the process we may find that our needs have become simpler. If nothing else, we may at least gain greater patience to wait upon the Lord. His way is always best. If we are faithful, He always gives us more than we deserve.
It is not always easy, but I am learning to be satisfied with what I have and then rely upon the Lord to see that my needs are met. The alternative is not worth coveting. I have learned that to be content is to be happy.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Some of the most peaceful moments in our home are when everyone’s needs have been taken care of. Everyone has had enough sleep, enough to eat, and the right amount of attention. Interestingly enough, those are also times when we have found our children receptive to discussions that help them spiritually. It can be very difficult to help someone with their spiritual needs when their basic needs are not being met.
In contrast, what a difference there is in our home when one of our children’s needs are being met and another’s are not. “It’s not fair!” is a funny little anthem that will echo down the halls of our memory for many years to come. If only I had a dime for each time that expression was repeated, I would have a generous sum. All the same, a piggy bank full of dimes would not negate a store of unmet needs that are often felt by the individual. Needs are real, and so is the desire to be content.
As a boy, I remember a number of occasions when I was hungry and I asked my mom for something to eat. Matters were worse when my hunger was triggered by the smell of freshly baked cookies. The smell seemed an open invitation to come and eat. You see, bears like homemade cookies, and I was no exception. My mom might reply to my request with some nonsensical statement, such as, “You’ll have to wait until dinner so you won’t spoil your appetite.” It wasn’t my appetite for cookies that she was concerned with. Though I wasn’t happy about it, it was really my wellbeing she had in mind.
Our pantry had some specific rules that I sometimes ignored. Then, instead of having my needs met, I got to taste the consequences of my actions. While the occasional treat was mine to enjoy, taking without asking is a practice that is more likely to catch up with you than not. As a fully grown bear, and a tiny bit wiser than I was then, I recognize that life is more complicated than fresh cookies and pantries.
We live in a world full of open invitations. Most of them are not marked with “SALE BY OWNER” signs. Rather they are yard sales full of other people’s things – goods that have somehow found their way to the wrong sale rack. They may smell good, but they are often things that were never intended to be sold for money at all. To make the sale easier and more certain, however, generous third-party partners in the retail business are ready to hand out applications for credit cards and other types of credit. “Buy now, why wait,” is another silly anthem that resonates loud and clear. The world has a misguided definition for satisfaction. Strangely enough, this definition has nothing to do with being “content.”
Like my mother, our Eternal Father is concerned about our wellbeing. He is also very interested in making sure that our needs are met. He has promised, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth…. What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:7-11) I believe this direction to be the simplest and safest way to have our needs met. Father will take care of our needs without putting our wellbeing at risk.
Perhaps being satisfied has more to do with being content than satiated. Elder Robert D. Hales of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, “the craving of the natural man… can never be satisfied. It is an insatiable appetite.” If this is true, then it makes no sense to pursue something that has no end. We are much wiser attempting something that is actually possible to attain. Why search for happiness in places you will never find it when there is a well of living water that never runs out. Jesus taught the woman of Samaria in John 4:14, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
From these passages of scripture, we learn that if we can learn to rely upon the Lord, He will take care of our needs and His supply will never run out. I personally have found these blessings to be both temporal and spiritual. But what is Father really interested in? Of course it is His children, but what does He want for us? He wants us to become like him as I want my children to follow me. I can’t imagine anyone being happier than our Father, so why wouldn’t I want to become like him. I believe the answer is fear.
Usually when I choose not to follow Father, it is because I am afraid. I fear that I will not get what I want. I’m afraid that I will have to wait too long or that my needs will not be met. I start to feel some risk that His words aren’t literal and that I have to choose between what I want and what He wants, as if both were not possible. Simply put, I am deceived and I forget that He will take care of our needs without putting our wellbeing at risk.
Knowing that His children are prone to fear when their faith is weak, Father gives us commandments – His rules of the pantry. He promises blessings when we are obedient, not because He is stingy with what He has, but because He knows that obedience will teach us to rely upon Him. Obedience will ultimately teach us to be content with what He has to offer, which is everything. Following Him and relying upon Him will give us what we need without risk to our eternal salvation. It will teach us not to accept substitutes that cannot satisfy. It will train us to be inherently good like He is.
One danger I feel we often face is feeling that the commandments don’t apply to us – that we are above the rules of the pantry. For some this may be ignorance or indifference to the commandments. For others, we may feel that we have met the letter of the commandments though we may not have met the intent and purpose for which they were given. The latter is carefully illustrated in the Savior’s teachings in the Sermon on the Mount.
I believe that many are apt to think that they keep the commandments because they do not commit murder and they do not commit adultery. Jesus enlarged the scope of these commandments to both the Jews and to the people who inhabited ancient America. In 3 Nephi 12:21-22 we read, “Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, and it is also written before you, that thou shalt not kill, and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment of God; But I say unto you, that whosever is angry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment.” Similarly He teaches us in verses 27 through 28, “Behold, it is written by them of old time, that thou shalt not commit adultery; But I say unto you, that whosever looketh on a woman, to lust after her, hath committed adultery already in his heart.”
I believe the commandments are more effective in our lives when we understand why they were given, and what Father hopes we will learn from them, rather than simply meeting the requirements as an obligatory payment for goods. The adversary tries to deceive us into thinking that immediate action will result in satisfaction. So many times this logic is false. Our Father, on the other hand, knows that we will be happiest if we can learn to live the way He lives. This life is intended to be a learning experience where we choose to become like our Father.
In another verse, the Lord explains an important principle for our happiness. In describing the actions of David and Solomon, ancient kings in Israel, the Lord says in Doctrine & Covenants 132:38, “and in nothing did they sin, save in those things which they received not of me.” I believe this principle can be applied to many other commandments besides adultery. Do we choose to rely upon God for our blessings, or are we too impatient, anxious to take matters into our own hands. Are we willing to ask for permission, or are we afraid that the answer will be, “No, not right now,” even though that may be the right answer.
What happens when we look at coveting in the same manner as the commandments described in the Sermon on the Mount? In Exodus 20:17 we read, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.” There are many times that I have felt I met the requirements of this commandment, to not covet, because I did not plot to have something that belonged to my neighbor. Perhaps there is more to this commandment than I had previously contemplated.
Coveting is not just wanting something that someone else may have, it is a failure to be content with what I already have. This does not mean that I can’t hope for more, but I certainly should be grateful and content with what I have been given. Learning to be content is not easy, but it does show Father that we will wait upon Him for our blessings. It shows that we have faith in His promise, that if we ask we shall receive.
Another principle that will help us see that our needs are met has to do with the sanctifying our hearts and the purifying of our desires. The Lord told Joseph Smith in Doctrine & Covenants 50:29-30, “And if ye are purified and cleansed from all sin, ye shall ask whatsoever you will in the name of Jesus and it shall be done. But know this, it shall be given you what you shall ask….” As we prayerfully consider our needs, the Holy Ghost can help us to know if it is in our best interest or not. If it is, then we should ask. We are commanded to. If it is not right, then why should we pursue a path that does not lead to our happiness?
In 3 Nephi 19:24 we read an account of how the Nephites were taught to pray by the Holy Spirit. We read, “And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus prayed unto the Father, he came unto his disciples, and behold, they did still continue, without ceasing, to pray unto him; and they did not multiply many words, for it was given unto them what they should pray, and they were filled with desire.”
The more we turn our heart towards God, the more we are filled with desire to do what is right. As we do so, He will help us to know what we should pray for to make sure that our needs are met. When we pray and find that He always answers our prayers, our faith in Him increases because our trust is rewarded. If we truly want to be happy, we should check our desires before seeking to have our needs met. In the process we may find that our needs have become simpler. If nothing else, we may at least gain greater patience to wait upon the Lord. His way is always best. If we are faithful, He always gives us more than we deserve.
It is not always easy, but I am learning to be satisfied with what I have and then rely upon the Lord to see that my needs are met. The alternative is not worth coveting. I have learned that to be content is to be happy.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
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