Faith Explains It

Last night I saw some friends I've known for a few years now. They are a couple that never cease to amaze me. She is wheel chair bound, happy and vivacious. He is at her side, ever attentive, loving. They are probably in their early seventies. They work on projects together. For any help I’ve given them they are always generous with their gratitude. Being around them lifts me up and makes my day.

The project I help them with is Family History. They want to know who their ancestors are so they can do for them what they can not do for themselves. Why her cheerfulness? Why his devotion? Why choose to serve when they might easily sit back and be served?

The answer comes from an observation by Elder Condie. “Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is evident when we believe His teachings and claim His 'exceeding great and precious promises' and become 'partakers of the divine nature' (2 Peter 1:4)."

This couple’s faith and belief are evident when I see their nature. They are becoming "like Him." (Moroni 7: 48)

(The views written in this post are the views of the author and do not necessarily represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)

Truths, Tests, and Talents

My college class on Logic had a lasting effect on how I view the world. Today I am seeing truth broken down into axioms that might be used in a later proof. Here are a few to consider:

• All consequences are not immediate.


• Cause and Effect are difficult to perceive because of the wideness of eternity (pre-earth life/life/that which comes after.)


• One of the purposes of life is to prove ourselves...this is a test. (Abraham 3:28)


• One of the tests, in fact, one of the most important to pass, is to see if we will be Christ-like in our Charity. (Ether 12:28)


• One test of our Charity is the weakness of the people around us.


• If we don't pass the Charity test, we will loose the talents we have. (Matthew 25:28)


• People that have talents, and can keep them, will get more...and that is fair.

"Wherefore, I know by this thing which thou hast said, that if the Gentiles have not charity, because of our weakness, that thou wilt prove them, and take away their talent, yea, even that which they have received, and give unto them who shall have more abundantly." Ether 12:35

(The views written in this post are the views of the author and do not necessarily represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)

Trouble

Emilee commented on the last post about how difficult turning the other cheek would be. Joseph Smith, a modern prophet (I will write more of him later), brought us this translation clarifying the meaning of that scripture:

"And unto him who smiteth thee on the cheek, offer also the other; or, in other words, it is better to offer the other, than to revile again. And him who taketh away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also. For it is better that thou suffer thine enemy to take these things, than to contend with him. Verily I say unto you, Your heavenly Father who seeth in secret, shall bring that wicked one into judgment. "
JST LUKE 6: 29-30

Heavenly Father doesn't want us to look for trouble, or to add to it once it finds us. He does want us to love each other and go clear out of our way to avoid contention. That may mean suffering in silence. My feeling is that we would come closer to living this higher law if we did less back biting about injustices that have been done to us. We need to worry less about getting immediate justice and care more about the offenders. This also takes a certain kind of courage.

Although proponents of Civil Disobedience do not strike back, they do look for contention as a way of helping everyone see the injustice. Part of this plan may embrace turning the other cheek, but the first part has nothing to do with the spirit of this scripture. The sad truth is, most Civil Disobedience turns eventually into violence. It did in India and it did in the 1960s South.

Remember the quote from the last post: "All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ." (Preach My Gospel, 2004, USA p.52)

(The views written in this post are the views of the author and do not necessarily represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)

Civil Disobedience

I had the chance this week to teach my students about Civil Disobedience in connection with Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi who was inspired by Henry David Thoreau...but the idea started in the New Testament. Jesus Christ taught that we should turn the other cheek. (Matthew 5:39-41, 44)

My students were confused. Wouldn't that lead to being trampled on? It was clear these were new ideas to them. I wished desperately that the setting was Sunday School and not public school. I left them to ponder the idea.

I had told them that rebellions, riots and revolutions happened because people felt that there was something very unfair going on. I often hear people say "Life is unfair...get used to it." The problem with that approach is that it stops short of the full truth. The rest of the story is "All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ." (Preach My Gospel, 2004, USA p.52) This is why we don't have to take offense when offense is given.

We can leave all the wrongs others commit in His hands and focus on making ourselves right...but we don't do that alone either. "Christ promises to forgive our sins on the condition that we accept Him by exercising faith in Him, repenting, receiving baptism by immersion, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, and striving faithfully to keep His commandments to the end of our lives." (ibid.) (see also Psalms 119:165 and 2 Nephi 2:6-8)

With all of my heart I believe this is the way to the peace we all seek.

(The views written in this post are the views of the author and do not necessarily represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)

Pick Your Poultry

"...I say you can pick your poultry. You can either be like Chicken Little and run about shouting 'The sky is falling; the sky is falling' or you can be like the Little Red Hen and forge ahead with the productive tasks of living, regardless of who does or doesn't help you or who does or doesn’t believe just the way you believe."
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

With their love for the sensational, TV and News organizations have gone the Chicken Little route. We need reminders in our world that there is a better choice. The best motivators that I know of to engage in "productive tasks" are goals. Not the make and break kind but the make, try for a while, and adjust when needed kind.

One of my goals is to read scriptures every day. The words of the Bible and the Book of Mormon bring me great peace and understanding. They help me focus on important ideas. I'm not very good at memorizing scriptures, but when I need them, their meanings and sometimes key phrases are usually there for me.

(The views written in this post are the views of the author and do not necessarily represent The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)