The Mighty Man Shall be Humbled

It's been depicted, in film and otherwise, that a person who displays pride and strength is shown to be submissive to a mother or perhaps father (often to comical effect).  It's striking in a way, because these people are regarded as people of great presence, and as people who are pursuing a course deemed justifiable by many or perhaps even all, but then they are made very humble due to a natural relationship that existed before they ever came to have strength or influence.  The mothers or fathers knew them from when they were at their most weak and dependent point in their lives; beyond simply not being fooled by the image the sons or daughters present, they are also in a position of trust from which they can dispense humbling advice and correction.

Yet there are many in the world who decide to put themselves beyond this kind of vulnerability.  They are submissive to no one, and can be humbled by no one--not even parents.  Often enough they commit acts of great evil while in pursuit of some sort of worldly greatness.

It seems a fairly simple matter, to me, for people to convince themselves of something.  Especially given that we, in general, don't like to be wrong, it's really very common for us to cling all the more fiercely to ideas when they are threatened.  I'm reminded of the end of the Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis.  I hope to not make this a book spoiler.  At the end, a number of characters have effectively passed on to the next life, including a group of dwarves.  While others see beautiful countryside around them, the dwarves see only the filthy inside of a stable.  Some, including Aslan himself, want the dwarves to see things as they really are, but Aslan explains that they cannot be convinced.  The basic scenario, while tragic, is not hard to believe.

I wonder, though, how long such obstinacy can last.  It is written many times in scripture that "every knee shall bow" to God and that "every tongue shall confess" that Jesus is the Christ (Romans 14:11, Isaiah 45:23, Doctrine and Covenants 76:110, Mosiah 27:31, Doctrine and Covenants 88:104, Philippians 2:10-11).  It is also written that "the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled" (Isaiah 5:15).  I get the idea that no matter how prideful a person may be, no amount of pride and obstinacy will endure forever.  Eventually God will give us his perspective on our lives, and we'll see how unimportant some of our supposedly great achievements were, and how terrible our evil acts were that we thought so little of.  Eventually we'll have to hear His words that we cannot dispute, and we'll know that they come from someone who is both perfectly wise and loving.  We will have no reason to do anything but trust those words.  "When our heavenly parents we meet" (Hymn 286, Oh, What Songs of the Heart) we'll know again that we are still children to Them.

Of course, having faced the truth, it always still remains for us to not only accept it but also to act upon it.  Many times in these films or other media we get the impression that a humbled villain will never really learn; that simply having their power or influence removed is resolution enough of the problems in the story.  Again, it's not hard to believe that some people, after having been humbled, will "be filthy still" (Revelation 22:11, Mormon 9:14, 2 Nephi 9:16, Doctrine and Covenants 88:35, 102).  But even if these people do not gain the faith and glory that God would otherwise desire for them, they eventually will no longer be able to deny the truth.

Last thoughts for now:
Someday we will all be brought low.  It will be better for us if that happens sooner, rather than later.  It will be better for us if we gain knowledge in our humility, and better for us if we use that knowledge to grow in righteousness.

Love, Charity, Truth

Mark 12:29-31 -- "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is...thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength...And the second is...Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

John 13:34 -- "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."

Moroni 7:47 -- "...charity is the pure love of Christ"
Moroni 7:46 -- "...if ye have not charity, ye are nothing"

I've heard it said more than once that despite the commandment we've been given to love everyone, it's not possible.  I think it was spoken with a sense of practicality by people who readily acknowledged that there were people they knew whom they definitely did not love.  I understand that, and I appreciate their candor, but what they said wasn't true.  The fact is that we can love everyone.  Maybe we can't all to do so all at once, without growing and exercising ourselves to gain that love, and sometimes there are people who are particularly difficult to love and who may have injured us seriously in some way.  But we have great examples of others, Jesus Christ being the foremost but many more mere mortals as well, who have shown great love to others who were the most difficult to love or the least deserving.

I try to love everyone.  I sure don't always succeed.  But I have felt that love for everyone before, and I try to keep it with me.  Interestingly, some of the times when I've most strongly felt the emotion of love for all were times when I was experiencing great trials.  Otherwise, when I feel the greatest love is when I am engaged in service toward them.  That service is a key component, and without taking the time for others I'm sure it would be impossible to gain or keep a love for them.

While service is essential, there are many good things which are not sufficient in and of themselves.  The words of 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 strike me particularly: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."

One way to serve others is by declaring truth in this world so full of falsehood and deception.  If we love those around us, we'll want the best for them.  We'll want to speak the truth to enlighten them, if we happen to have light to share.  (And we'll want to gain that light so that we can share it.)  However, we run a certain risk.  When we speak to what is true or right we either explicitly or implicitly speak to what is false or wrong.  In doing so, some will feel as if we're condemning ("judging") them.  Perhaps it's a rare thing these days for people to speak the truth while still genuinely loving those who don't seem to live by it, but I don't think that's the real problem.  I think instead the real problem is the underlying but widely prevalent message that to disagree with someone's actions or lifestyle is to hate them.  Love is preached to be synonymous with complete acceptance of not only the basic person but of everything they do.

The real challenge for me is to live in such a way that people know I love them.  When the situation arises in which they could interpret my words as either condemnation or encouragement, they won't just see me as a "sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."  They will know that I really do want what is best for them and that I still love them even with their incorrect choices, just as I hope others will still love me despite my choices that either are wrong or seem wrong to them.

Last thoughts for now:
I know that some people will never feel the love I have for them even when I'm doing my very best to have that love.  I know that I haven't overcome selfishness and have certainly not achieved perfect charity in my heart.  But I know that it is right and good that I should have that love.  I know that I need to keep that love as a constant goal in my life and that without it, nothing else matters.  I hope that I can teach it to my children and encourage it in all those around me.  Charity is greater than hope, but I'll keep hope in a world that knows real charity.

Restored Christianity

Over two years ago, when I was at BOLC II at Fort Sill, OK, I remember another new lieutenant asking me about the Church. He was an interesting fellow; very humorous, though crass at times, and he had given up drinking, apparently after having some very negative experiences. When we spoke of the Church on this occasion, he was basically just expressing general but sincere curiosity. I don't remember exactly what he asked me at the time, but I do remember briefly relating to him the account of Joseph Smith, including his First Vision. The conversation must have then turned along the lines of him asking why some people said we weren't Christian. I was struck, as I began to answer, that all of the issues were encapsulated in Joseph Smith's early experiences.

Joseph received revelation from God. Some churches do not believe that revelation is given to Man in our day.

Joseph saw Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ, distinctly as two separate beings. To my knowledge, essentially every other church believes in the incomprehensible concept of a trinity.

Joseph was told to not join with any other church. Some people, and some churches, accept the logic that if various churches teach different doctrines that at most one of them can possess a full measure of truth, but many take offense to the idea that there can be only one true Church.

In addition to receiving direct revelation, Joseph Smith brought forth the Book of Mormon. Most any church will say that the only valid scripture is the Bible (though which version of the Bible, and even what books should be included in it, is a lasting dispute), and that there can be no other Word of God.

Interestingly, I had been listening to a general conference talk by Elder Holland's on one of these very issues. While I was explaining these things to the lieutenant, one of my roommates, Lieutenant Cameron, suggested that I just have him listen to Elder Holland's talk, because he said it very well. (My roommates must obviously have heard the talk when I listened.) The two talks given by Elder Holland in the fall of 2007 and spring of 2008 are among those I consider "modern classics".

(Links for those two talks are here:
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-775-15,00.html
http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-851-30,00.html )

I remember the story of Joseph Smith's First Vision as one of the best ways as a missionary to help people feel the Holy Ghost. Well, the Holy Ghost testifies of truth, and Joseph Smith's experiences brought some hugely significant truths to a world that had lost them. How strange that the world should have such a poor understanding of their God, and how strange that people who do have a better understanding should be labeled "not Christian", but how wonderful that our loving Heavenly Father should restore these truths to us!

Yes, Joseph Smith introduced truth that didn't mesh with "traditional Christianity", but traditional Christianity lost something, had been altered; aspects of modern "traditional" Christianity simply aren't like what Christianity was in Christ's time. What we practice is not traditional Christianity, it's restored Christianity. As Latter-day Saints, we hope to be true Christians, not in name only but in Spirit and character, and in a way that is evident through our actions and our lives.

Last thoughts for now:
There will always be some who defame, and there will always be some who refuse to use the term "Christian" for members of Christ's true Church, but that doesn't matter. What does matter is that we recognize the powerful truths that God has restored to us, that we seek to follow Christ through his Atonement, and that we don't hide the goodness of our discipleship from the world so that others may also discover restored Christianity and fully pursue their exaltation.

Incorrect Teachings Among the Saints

There have been times in my past where I missed the mark a bit when trying to help others to be righteous. I think it has tended to be when I was reaching beyond the scope of my stewardship, and that I was being overzealous. There have been other times when I have heard others share incorrect of skewed doctrines. It feels a bit strange when this happens; if we're listening to the Holy Ghost, He tells us very clearly that something isn't right, just as He testifies to us when we hear and speak truth.

It can be uncomfortable though when someone misses the mark, particularly when we know that the person is genuinely trying to be a true disciple of Christ. However, in simple terms this is really just another mistake, of which we make many.

We read in 3 Nephi 1:24 that after Christ was born, some Nephites attempted "to prove by the scriptures that it was no more expedient to observe the law of Moses." Note that they were using the scriptures; that much is to their credit. As we read further in the same verse and also verse 25, "Now in this thing they did err, having not understood the scriptures. But it came to pass that they soon became converted, and were convinced of the error which they were in...therefore in this same year were they brought to a knowledge of their error and did confess their faults." Put simply, they misunderstood something, tried to teach something false, and were corrected.

Having made and witnessed mistakes, I have gained a desire to not repeat them. In this case, I try to be careful to only state truth when state something as if it were truth. When I state something about which I'm uncertain, I say as much. Sometimes it's a very good thing to share good ideas that are unverifiable, as long as it's clear that the ideas are not purported to be verified doctrine.

When people do teach something incorrect, it's important to simply love them and help them, just like in any other circumstance. Here, that means correcting them with as little awkwardness or embarrassment as possible.

Last thoughts for now:
Truth is a joy to those who seek to be righteous. We all make mistakes sometimes. We can all learn and get past those mistakes, and we can all help others to do the same.

Same Old, Same Old

Sometimes people complain that they always hear the same thing in church, or they don't want to watch General Conference because "they always say the same stuff". I've known people who didn't see the need to read scripture more than once.

Well, yes, we do hear the same thing over and over again. I know of five reasons why:

1. Each time we receive a particular message, we may learn more if we invite the Holy Ghost's influence and have readied ourselves by practicing more basic principles. Many people have had the experience of learning something new from a passage of scripture they've read multiple times before. We hear things repeated because there is deeper knowledge to gain.

2. Simply hearing the truth from the prophets will bring us the Holy Ghost and ready us for personal revelation on any topic. Many people have listened to a witness of Christ and received personal revelation for something that is important but unrelated to what is being spoken.

3. We haven't really listened yet. So often we hear the standard answers: pray, read your scriptures, go to church. Are we doing these things? I tend to think I'm a good person, but I know that I have often forgotten to pray in the morning and I sometimes struggle to read my scriptures. (It's been pretty bad recently. I wake up early and go to work, leaving the house at 6:00 am at the latest. I haven't made it a habit recently to read my scriptures in the morning, and then I don't get to them later. Then, in my Gospel Doctrine class, I know I don't have as much to contribute because I haven't done enough studying.) Anyway, we hear things repeated because we often haven't obeyed yet.

4. There are other people listening who haven't heard it yet. So many people are only hearing the restored Gospel for the first time. We can be patient as they are enlightened by glorious truth, particularly since it's still good for us.

5. Repetition reinforces ideas. Truth ought to be reinforced in our lives (especially to counteract the falsehoods that come to us over and over again).

Beyond that, we actually do hear some new things in General Conference sometimes, and it can be thrilling. I should give a list of my favorite conference talks some time.

Last thoughts for now:
It's okay to hear a good thing again. Heavenly Father knows what He's doing.