The bad news about a warning is that it usually isn’t pleasant to hear, and it generally means there is some amount of danger ahead. Typically it comes with the assumption that I should do something. The good news is that warnings are often timely. So for what is it worth, it’s worth considering warnings for what they are.
Occasionally I will stop to read the expiration date stamped on a package of food before I eat it, especially if the package contains perishable fruit or vegetables. I have learned from sad experience that a container of raspberries doesn’t last very long after I buy them (not that I have a lot of restraint from devouring them in one sitting anyway.) However I have noticed, after I have had my share of the raspberries, and another family member hasn’t yet eaten theirs, raspberries soon begin to grow mold and perish. If one starts to spoil, and I don’t notice in time, it doesn’t matter what the warning date on the package says, be it near or far. If I can find the part that is offensive and remove it, I have a chance. When I don’t, the mold spreads quickly and deeply. It devours the raspberries well before I can.
I have been pondering a short verse in the Doctrine & Covenants lately because of what it potentially means for me. The single verse doesn’t appear as a warning, but there are some facts that can be alarming for the careful listener. In a revelation to the prophet Joseph Smith about proclaiming the gospel, the Lord said, “And my vineyard has become corrupted every whit; and there is none which doeth good save it be a few; and they err in many instances because of priestcrafts, all having corrupt minds.” (Doctrine & Covenants 33:4)
The vineyard is the place where the Lord does his work, which is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children. He hopes and desires that each vine will bear desirable fruit. It sounds devastating for the Lord of the vineyard to visit his place of work and find that it has become completely corrupted. Fortunately, the Lord is never surprised. He knows the end from the beginning, and He knows how to warn us. He knows how to do His work and save His children, as long as we choose to heed the warnings stamped in the scriptures.
It doesn’t take much for a container of my favorite fruit to be corrupted. A package of raspberries may look quite the same at a distance when mold has already begun to grow. Only a careful look will reveal the light, white, and fuzzy texture beginning to appear. This is usually the first indicator. Everything else will appear the same. The fruit may look whole. The color will be just as rich and deep, and the juices will still taste fresh. Only the miniscule presence of something so anonymous as the delicate ingredient of mold gives any kind of warning that corruption has already begun. Nothing has changed except the presence of early corruption.
When the Lord says that His vineyard has become corrupted, every whit, there isn’t much room for exception. This suggests that I especially am not an exception (which is my favorite way to read the scriptures.) The part about none doing good, save it be a few, suggests to me that among all those who are corrupted, the pure in heart are small in number. Yes, there is good everywhere, but self-justification to gratify our own pleasures is also widespread. The Lord said that even those few who are good err because of priestcrafts. Like the raspberries, everything else may still look good, even when corruption is present.
While the act of corrupting may mean destroying the integrity and morality of someone or something, corrupt can also simply mean alter, mar, or taint. It is when the initial corruption, or presence of some foreign defect, merely appears that corruption begins to take place. Then, when we accept and even ignore this presence, the more severe corruption begins to become permanent. That’s when the mold gets ugly and the flavor changes.
The prophet Moroni gave a similar warning to the Lord’s for those who would live in the last days before the second coming of the Savior. Near the end of his life, he said, “Behold, the Lord hath shown unto me great and marvelous things concerning that which must shortly come, at that day when these things shall come forth among you. Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.” (Mormon 8:34-35) Moroni then states that we walk in the pride of our own hearts. There are none but a few who do not. He then says that we love our money, our possessions and the appearance of our churches more than we love the poor. Ouch. That one hurts.
Moroni also describes this as a time where there will be great pollutions on the earth. Important as it may be in considering our stewardships over the earth, I don’t think he is talking about air quality and carbon footprints. Instead he then lists pollutions such as murder, theft, dishonesty, immorality, and other abominations. He also describes the attitude that exclaims, “it mattereth not.” I think it does.
I have often reflected on this passage because Moroni seems to be speaking to “you” and I, rather than “other people” who may never read the book. There is often a tendency to think that because I have a firm belief that the book is true, Moroni must be talking about someone else, that is unless I don’t believe in making exceptions.
I may not be a liar, a murderer, or an adulterer, but I can ask myself some probing questions to see how these passages of scripture apply. If the vineyard is corrupted every whit, and there are great pollutions all around, is my inheritance the only thing that is in danger of being corrupted? What about my present decisions? Am I still at a critical point where my fruit is good but I am surrounded by light and fluffy mold that is becoming more and more pervasive? If I am, how do I know? To answer these questions, I need to take a closer look at my life and do some self-examining, regardless of how far away the expiration date may be.
The prophet Nephi gave an excellent definition of what priestcrafts are in his writings within the Book of Mormon. Speaking of the Lord’s teachings, he said, “He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.” (2 Nephi 26:29) When our own opinions become more important than the will of God, we are in danger. When the examples we set for others begin to lead them away from the truth rather than toward it, we set ourselves up as a light to the world. If we justify and rationalize our actions instead of acknowledging our errors, so that we can have pleasure and personal gain, we are at the heart of this warning. At that point we are no longer just surrounded by priestcraft, we are active practitioners.
One does not have to imitate the priesthood to practice priestcraft. Ceremony and ritual are not required. In order to qualify, one only has to provide an alternate plan to Father’s plan of happiness for His children. While I may not practice priestcraft, I think these passages of scripture still apply to me because of what the Lord himself said about those who are good, that “they err in many instances because of priestcrafts, all having corrupt minds.” Even if I am not rationalizing or justifying sin, I am curious to know how these pervasive influences are affecting my mind, causing me to err.
At the heart of the messages given to us by the Lord, Moroni, and Nephi is a clear dichotomy between pride and charity. If I wish to know where I stand before God, I should measure my pride. The scriptures provide adequate warnings against pride and the reoccurring pride cycle. If we examine them, and seek to apply them, we can see how we measure up to priestcrafts by first seeing how we measure up to the word of God. There is no clear standard for corruption unless we first understand what it is to be pure.
Nephi continues, “Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.” (2 Nephi 26:30)
Similarly, Moroni recorded the teachings of his Father, Mormon, when he said, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love….” (Moroni 7:48)
Because there are some clear models and warnings in the scriptures, we can judge where we are in society. Pride is at the heart of the pollutions. Pride leads to vanity and vain ambition, which are the seeds of lust. Secret combinations seek to destroy society and pull it down. These things may not have entered into our hearts, but they may begin to appear lightly around us, just as mold appears softly and quietly, almost hard to discern.
So, the bad news is that we are living in the time foretold by Moroni where we are surrounded by pollutions. We live in a time, as told by the Lord, that the vineyard is entirely corrupt, and all of us have corrupted minds – we are surrounded by harmful things that will even taint the decisions made by good people, causing them to err. We are surrounded by priestcrafts and the philosophies of men that can lead us away from God if we don’t heed His counsel. Our proximity to pride and vanity is so close that we may not see it for what it is. If the growth of this mold is gradual, we may even accept it as the norm. The best way to prevent it is to look for it.
The good news is that there is an antidote. It is possible to resist the corruption that surrounds us. Prophesies have been foretold of the restoration of all things in the fullness of times. This is an expiration date worth looking forward to – a time when wickedness will expire and give way to millennial rest. Rather than being consumed with pride, the pure in heart will be filled with charity. They will pray earnestly for this gift. The love of Christ, and a love for Christ, will help us to be anxiously engaged in causes for good. There is no greater cause than the cause of Zion, which seeks not to tear down society, but to build it.
We can protect ourselves against selfishness and pride by seeking the gift which seeketh not her own, even the gift of charity. We can protect against pollutions and corruption by seeking the pure in heart and the cause of Zion. We can watch for subtle and anonymous mold by starting with our own hearts. As long as we are not complacent and ignorant that there are pollutions all around, we can find greater peace in protecting the fruits of our faith against corruption and error. All the Lord requires is an honest heart that is willing to give up and forsake the pollution.
“Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits are contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice – yea, every sacrifice which I the Lord, shall command – they are accepted of me. For I, the Lord, will cause them to bring forth as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit.” (Doctrine & Covenants 97:8-9)
If all have corrupt minds, perhaps this indicates that we are being affected by unhealthy influences rather than being ruined or devastated. If we have desires to serve God and keep His commandments, then maybe the corruption refers to the slow growing ideas that seem pleasing at first, but will soon alter the flavor of our lives and cause them to deteriorate.
Rather than pretend that I am immune to mold, I can choose to look for the first signs of pride that attempt to taint my heart. I can watch for selfish motives that lead me away from the teachings of the Savior. I can pray for help to see the influences in my life that really aren’t healthy but have been there so long that I don’t notice them. When I discover parts that have spoiled, I may have to cut them out. If this is the cost of acceptance, I would rather have fruit that is worthy of eternal life than let all of my favorite fruit spoil. There are few things that compare with the untainted flavor of my favorite fruit. Nothing compares with the unspoiled taste of eternal life. The hope of maintaining this fruit is worth the effort to remove any corrupting influences that can taint my heart.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Showing posts with label Vanity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vanity. Show all posts
Monday, November 15, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Vain Vanity and Profane Profanity
As a high school sophomore, I remember one particular class where we were studying anatomy in seminary. It was the heart. The lesson had a profound effect on me. We were studying the Old Testament when the Lord was guiding the prophet Samuel to find a replacement for Saul as the king of Israel. Saul made a serious mistake and was not obedient to the commandments of the Lord. He did what he thought he should by offering sacrifice, but it was in vain. It was Saul’s heart that the Lord was concerned about.
After Saul’s disobedience, the Lord told Samuel to visit the house of Jesse, from whom he had chosen the next king. Samuel met each of the sons of Jesse and received confirmation from the Lord that David, the youngest, was the one the Lord had chosen, for he was a man after the Lord’s own heart. (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22) In this decision, the Lord told Samuel, “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; … for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
As a young man I considered how I might apply this principle to myself and decided to focus less on my outward appearance and worry more about other things. In my attempt to follow the scripture and avoid vanity, I missed part of the principle. At the time, vanity meant placing too much focus on looks or appearance. It wasn’t until much later that I understood that vanity, or doing something in vain, referred to more than appearance. It can also refer to an attempt or action that has little effect, avail, or significance. In this sense, one who is excessively concerned about their appearance may spend a large amount of time improving their looks without a long-lasting benefit. They may have little to show for their investment of time and worry. Perhaps their vanity is not just in their appearance, but in their unwise use of time.
Vanity can also refer to an incorrect attempt or a wasted effort. Saul thought he was doing good by offering sacrifice to the Lord. Unfortunately, in his efforts to please the Lord, he caused offense. After his missed attempt, Saul admitted fear and confessed to listening to the people instead of the Lord. His efforts were of no avail because he didn’t follow the Lord’s instructions. His vain attempts lost the aid of the Lord and cost him the kingdom.
Like Saul, many of David’s efforts to serve the Lord were also frustrated. He did many great things for the kingdom of Israel but lost his own exaltation because of his passions. A lifetime of good choices was suddenly wasted and in vain because of a few unrestrained desires.
Another type of vanity is associated with one of the Ten Commandments. While growing up, I was taught by my parents and church leaders not to take the name of the Lord in vain. I knew there were certain ways that God’s name should be used, and certain ways in which it should not. That seemed fairly clear and easy to follow. I was grateful for good examples that showed me how. I avoided profanity because I had been taught to do so.
I was also taught that profanity included the use of other bad words that were not uplifting. Grouping good words and bad words together under the umbrella of profanity didn’t make a lot of sense. I just knew it was something I wasn’t supposed to do. Later I realized that the definition of the word profane was to take something sacred and make it common or vulgar. I think many of the other words I was taught not to use were profane because they were either mixed with things that were sacred, or they were used to describe God’s children in a way that depreciated their divine value.
At times I have wondered why it is that some words are bad and some are acceptable when they have the exact same meaning. I have questioned who had the job to judge the appropriateness of each word. The conclusion I came up with is that some things are merely tradition. I also believe that traditions are only worth continuing if they have meaning. One might argue that a tradition that has no meaning is vain. I decided for myself that some of the acceptable words I had been using were no longer acceptable to me, solely on the basis that they had the same meaning and use in language as their vulgar counterparts. Simply put, swear words have more to do with the meaning and intent than the way it is spelled. Substitute words still have the same meaning. If the meaning is vulgar or profane, then perhaps it is worth questioning its use.
There is an interesting relationship between vanity and profanity when we compare the commandment to not take the name of God in vain with the covenants we renew with the sacrament. When we take the emblems of the bread and water in remembrance of Jesus, we also covenant to take upon ourselves the name of Christ. It is possible to profane this holy ordinance should we choose to participate in vain.
Taking Jesus’ name is not just a token gesture. This is a serious commitment. It demonstrates our acknowledgement of his supernal sacrifice which makes it possible for us to overcome the effects of sin and spiritual death. Doing so also demonstrates our willingness to change our lives and live as he did. This willingness to change represents a spiritual rebirth in which Jesus becomes our father through His atonement. Taking His name upon us is no different than taking on the surname of an earthly parent. If we do so without the intent to keep our covenants or become like him, then we do it in vain, making His atonement of little effect in our lives. With the enlarged definitions of vanity and profanity, the commandment to not take the Lord’s name in vain describes more than how we use or revere His name. It also describes how we use or revere the sacrifice of His own life that he made for all of God’s children.
The prophet Nephi used other words to describe the sacrilege of vanity and profanity. “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)
If we wish to avoid the pitfalls of poor intent, it is worth considering which of our efforts may be in vain, and which sacred things we inadvertently profane. We can ask ourselves some simple questions. In an attempt to be happy, am I making choices that will inevitably make me unhappy? Will my efforts be wasted because of a few bad choices? Do my actions reflect my beliefs or am I only following the traditions of others because that is what I am used to doing? Do I treat sacred things with proper respect and reverence? Am I ever ungrateful for special blessings that come from Father?
Because we live in a society where we are surrounded by unfruitful vanity and all-too-common profanity, it is hard for us not to be affected by it. The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that many of Father’s children have corrupt motives, meaning that they are not pure and are fraught with vain efforts. He said “and there is none which doeth good save it be a few; and they err in many instances … all having corrupt minds.” (Doctrine & Covenants 33:4) So the question remains, “How do we navigate through the world without being affected?”
Elder Robert D. Hales of the Twelve Apostles spoke of the familiar phrase: Be in the world, but not of the world (see John 17:11, 14–17). He said, “Our mortal existence is necessary to fulfill the plan of salvation. We must therefore live in this world, but we must also resist the worldly influences that are ever before us.
“Jesus taught, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). ... Being of the kingdom of God requires that we heed the Savior’s admonition “Follow thou me” (2 Ne. 31:10). Nephi taught that we follow Jesus by keeping Heavenly Father’s commandments: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?” (2 Ne. 31:10).
“At baptism we make a covenant with our Heavenly Father that we are willing to come into His kingdom and keep His commandments from that time forward, even though we still live in the world. We are reminded from the Book of Mormon that our baptism is a covenant to “stand as witnesses of God [and His kingdom] at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life” (Mosiah 18:9; emphasis added).
“When we understand our baptismal covenant and the gift of the Holy Ghost, it will change our lives and will establish our total allegiance to the kingdom of God. When temptations come our way, if we will listen, the Holy Ghost will remind us that we have promised to remember our Savior and obey the commandments of God.” (“The Covenant of Baptism,” Ensign, Nov 2000, p. 6-9)
The gift of the Holy Ghost then is the key to staying clean. When we make mistakes or sin, the Holy Ghost can purge our hearts and make them pure again. He will help us sanctify our hearts and turn them to the Lord instead of away from Him.
We can invite the influence of the Holy Ghost into our lives as we make choices that are consistent with God’s will. In the sacrament prayer we are promised that if we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, always remember him, and keep his commandments which he has given us, then we will always have His spirit to be with us. (Moroni 4:3)
Understanding the full meaning of vanity and profanity can help us navigate the pitfalls and traditions that are passed on thoughtlessly. Unless we consider the larger implications of vanity, we may be guilty of only looking on the outward appearance of our actions, and not our intentions. If we don’t scrutinize our own decisions, profaning sacred moments in our lives may already be too common. However, if we turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, he will heal our hearts and purge out all of the impurities. The Holy Ghost will then have room to inspire thoughts and desires that are more fruitful and more sacred.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
After Saul’s disobedience, the Lord told Samuel to visit the house of Jesse, from whom he had chosen the next king. Samuel met each of the sons of Jesse and received confirmation from the Lord that David, the youngest, was the one the Lord had chosen, for he was a man after the Lord’s own heart. (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22) In this decision, the Lord told Samuel, “Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; … for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
As a young man I considered how I might apply this principle to myself and decided to focus less on my outward appearance and worry more about other things. In my attempt to follow the scripture and avoid vanity, I missed part of the principle. At the time, vanity meant placing too much focus on looks or appearance. It wasn’t until much later that I understood that vanity, or doing something in vain, referred to more than appearance. It can also refer to an attempt or action that has little effect, avail, or significance. In this sense, one who is excessively concerned about their appearance may spend a large amount of time improving their looks without a long-lasting benefit. They may have little to show for their investment of time and worry. Perhaps their vanity is not just in their appearance, but in their unwise use of time.
Vanity can also refer to an incorrect attempt or a wasted effort. Saul thought he was doing good by offering sacrifice to the Lord. Unfortunately, in his efforts to please the Lord, he caused offense. After his missed attempt, Saul admitted fear and confessed to listening to the people instead of the Lord. His efforts were of no avail because he didn’t follow the Lord’s instructions. His vain attempts lost the aid of the Lord and cost him the kingdom.
Like Saul, many of David’s efforts to serve the Lord were also frustrated. He did many great things for the kingdom of Israel but lost his own exaltation because of his passions. A lifetime of good choices was suddenly wasted and in vain because of a few unrestrained desires.
Another type of vanity is associated with one of the Ten Commandments. While growing up, I was taught by my parents and church leaders not to take the name of the Lord in vain. I knew there were certain ways that God’s name should be used, and certain ways in which it should not. That seemed fairly clear and easy to follow. I was grateful for good examples that showed me how. I avoided profanity because I had been taught to do so.
I was also taught that profanity included the use of other bad words that were not uplifting. Grouping good words and bad words together under the umbrella of profanity didn’t make a lot of sense. I just knew it was something I wasn’t supposed to do. Later I realized that the definition of the word profane was to take something sacred and make it common or vulgar. I think many of the other words I was taught not to use were profane because they were either mixed with things that were sacred, or they were used to describe God’s children in a way that depreciated their divine value.
At times I have wondered why it is that some words are bad and some are acceptable when they have the exact same meaning. I have questioned who had the job to judge the appropriateness of each word. The conclusion I came up with is that some things are merely tradition. I also believe that traditions are only worth continuing if they have meaning. One might argue that a tradition that has no meaning is vain. I decided for myself that some of the acceptable words I had been using were no longer acceptable to me, solely on the basis that they had the same meaning and use in language as their vulgar counterparts. Simply put, swear words have more to do with the meaning and intent than the way it is spelled. Substitute words still have the same meaning. If the meaning is vulgar or profane, then perhaps it is worth questioning its use.
There is an interesting relationship between vanity and profanity when we compare the commandment to not take the name of God in vain with the covenants we renew with the sacrament. When we take the emblems of the bread and water in remembrance of Jesus, we also covenant to take upon ourselves the name of Christ. It is possible to profane this holy ordinance should we choose to participate in vain.
Taking Jesus’ name is not just a token gesture. This is a serious commitment. It demonstrates our acknowledgement of his supernal sacrifice which makes it possible for us to overcome the effects of sin and spiritual death. Doing so also demonstrates our willingness to change our lives and live as he did. This willingness to change represents a spiritual rebirth in which Jesus becomes our father through His atonement. Taking His name upon us is no different than taking on the surname of an earthly parent. If we do so without the intent to keep our covenants or become like him, then we do it in vain, making His atonement of little effect in our lives. With the enlarged definitions of vanity and profanity, the commandment to not take the Lord’s name in vain describes more than how we use or revere His name. It also describes how we use or revere the sacrifice of His own life that he made for all of God’s children.
The prophet Nephi used other words to describe the sacrilege of vanity and profanity. “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)
If we wish to avoid the pitfalls of poor intent, it is worth considering which of our efforts may be in vain, and which sacred things we inadvertently profane. We can ask ourselves some simple questions. In an attempt to be happy, am I making choices that will inevitably make me unhappy? Will my efforts be wasted because of a few bad choices? Do my actions reflect my beliefs or am I only following the traditions of others because that is what I am used to doing? Do I treat sacred things with proper respect and reverence? Am I ever ungrateful for special blessings that come from Father?
Because we live in a society where we are surrounded by unfruitful vanity and all-too-common profanity, it is hard for us not to be affected by it. The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that many of Father’s children have corrupt motives, meaning that they are not pure and are fraught with vain efforts. He said “and there is none which doeth good save it be a few; and they err in many instances … all having corrupt minds.” (Doctrine & Covenants 33:4) So the question remains, “How do we navigate through the world without being affected?”
Elder Robert D. Hales of the Twelve Apostles spoke of the familiar phrase: Be in the world, but not of the world (see John 17:11, 14–17). He said, “Our mortal existence is necessary to fulfill the plan of salvation. We must therefore live in this world, but we must also resist the worldly influences that are ever before us.
“Jesus taught, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). ... Being of the kingdom of God requires that we heed the Savior’s admonition “Follow thou me” (2 Ne. 31:10). Nephi taught that we follow Jesus by keeping Heavenly Father’s commandments: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, can we follow Jesus save we shall be willing to keep the commandments of the Father?” (2 Ne. 31:10).
“At baptism we make a covenant with our Heavenly Father that we are willing to come into His kingdom and keep His commandments from that time forward, even though we still live in the world. We are reminded from the Book of Mormon that our baptism is a covenant to “stand as witnesses of God [and His kingdom] at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life” (Mosiah 18:9; emphasis added).
“When we understand our baptismal covenant and the gift of the Holy Ghost, it will change our lives and will establish our total allegiance to the kingdom of God. When temptations come our way, if we will listen, the Holy Ghost will remind us that we have promised to remember our Savior and obey the commandments of God.” (“The Covenant of Baptism,” Ensign, Nov 2000, p. 6-9)
The gift of the Holy Ghost then is the key to staying clean. When we make mistakes or sin, the Holy Ghost can purge our hearts and make them pure again. He will help us sanctify our hearts and turn them to the Lord instead of away from Him.
We can invite the influence of the Holy Ghost into our lives as we make choices that are consistent with God’s will. In the sacrament prayer we are promised that if we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, always remember him, and keep his commandments which he has given us, then we will always have His spirit to be with us. (Moroni 4:3)
Understanding the full meaning of vanity and profanity can help us navigate the pitfalls and traditions that are passed on thoughtlessly. Unless we consider the larger implications of vanity, we may be guilty of only looking on the outward appearance of our actions, and not our intentions. If we don’t scrutinize our own decisions, profaning sacred moments in our lives may already be too common. However, if we turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, he will heal our hearts and purge out all of the impurities. The Holy Ghost will then have room to inspire thoughts and desires that are more fruitful and more sacred.
http://saltypockets.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
