Constructive Thoughts: Obedience

My mind has been dwelling today on the idea of obedience. A Chinese proverb states: Even better than respect is obedience.

Many of the Lord’s modern-day apostles have taught that obedience is the first law of Heaven.

But what does that mean?

Does that mean obedience at all costs?

What about obedience without question?

Let’s start with what obedience means. The 1828 edition of Webster’s says that obedience is: “Compliance with a command, prohibition or known law and rule of duty prescribed; the performance of what is required or enjoined by authority, or the abstaining from what is prohibited, in compliance with the command or prohibition.” In other words, “performing what is required, or abstaining from what is forbid.”

Obedience.

Obey.

It’s a small word, somewhat strange-sounding if you extend the first syllable: Obey. Oh-bey. Ohhhh-Bey. Strange-sounding? Especially if you repeat it several times.

Obey. It’s a small word, but a powerful word--a powerful concept. After all, obedience was exemplified by the Savior, the only perfectly-obedient individual to ever live upon this earth. If it was good enough for Him, is it not good enough for each of us?

But, you say, what good is obedience? First,

“By obedience to the laws of the gospel, you can lift yourselves above the quagmire of sin that surrounds us in this world. In addition to helping you to become better servants of the Lord, obedience to these laws will help you to be better in everything you undertake in life, whether it be your activity in the Church, your family, education, business, profession, science, athletics, or any other worthwhile endeavor. You will be a better son [or daughter], a better brother [or sister], and a better friend. You will enjoy your life more; you will be happier and at peace with yourself....
[Joseph B. Wirthlin, “Live in Obedience,” Ensign, May 1994 at 39.]

Second, “our obedience to the commandments of God becomes the very armor that protects us from evil.” [William D. Oswald, “The First Law of Heaven,” Ensign, Jan 2008 at 10.]

Third, “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” Article of Faith #3 proclaims “We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”

“By obedience.” Period. Not by “partial obedience” or “obedience to those laws that you feel like following.”

Obedience.

Period.

But does that mean unquestioning obedience? Or so-called blind obedience?

Webster’s also notes that “Obedience may be voluntary or involuntary. Voluntary obedience alone can be acceptable to God.” [Emphasis in original.]

“Unquestioning” does not mean “blind.”

There is a difference.

This idea that "unquestioning=blind"--this is an idea that Satan puts in our hearts. He makes us us think that obeying the prophets, obeying the commandments, obeying the Lord--that by doing this we are not thinking for ourselves, that we are foolish and stupid. One of the Lord’s ordained apostles explained this better than I can:

“Latter-day Saints are not obedient because they are compelled to be obedient. They are obedient because they know certain spiritual truths and have decided, as an expression of their own individual agency, to obey the commandments of God.... Those who talk of blind obedience may appear to know many things, but they do not understand the doctrines of the gospel. There is an obedience that comes from a knowledge of the truth that transcends any external form of control. We are not obedient because we are blind, we are obedient because we can see.” [Boyd K. Packer, “Agency and Control,” Ensign, May 1983 at 66.]

A willingness to be obedient is not a matter of worldly intellect or blindness.

It is a matter of attitude. Attitude makes the difference in all the choices we make; it will make the difference between obtaining life eternal or something less. Attitude is a pathway to self-control and self-discipline; a positive attitude is intimately connected not only with obedience, but also faith, charity, love, and service. But that’s a subject for another day.

It is also a matter of wisdom. Contrary to the teachings of the world, God does know a thing or two--He knows just a little bit more than any of us. Even more than Stephen Hawking.

Sorry, Steve, it’s true. There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy.

You need another way to look at it?

Think of it as cooking. God is the Master Chef. By definition, there can be none better. But He is a merciful, caring chef. He wants to share His recipes, to give us happiness. When we follow a recipe, we must follow it exactly. To. The. Letter. If we vary from the recipe, we get something different from what the Master Chef intended. It may taste OK. It may even taste good. It will not, however, taste like the Master Chef’s recipe, because the recipe was not followed and none of us have the experience in cooking that the Master Chef has.

And if we rely upon our own wisdom, refusing to acknowledge the existence of the Master Chef or His recipes, the resultant concoction is likely inedible, noisome, if not downright poisonous.

If we follow the recipe exactly, however, the resulting dish is magnificent, regal, and heavenly.

Literally Heavenly.

Following a Master Chef’s recipe is not “blind obedience”--it is wisdom, even if we do not fully understand why the particular herbs and spices are to be used in a certain combination. It is wisdom. If we are really confused about the recipe in question, we can always ask the Master Chef Himself for verification, for confirmation, that what we see in the recipe is correct.

Father Abraham had no idea what dish was being prepared when he received instructions to take his only son, Issac, into the mountains to be a sacrifice. He did not--could not--understand the subtle melding of flavor: he could foresee the sour, but thought the end result would be distasteful. He could not see the sweetness that the Master Chef had planned, had engineered into the final dish.

Father Abraham followed His recipe to the letter, even though he had no idea what the final dish would taste like, because he knew the Master Chef. He knew the Master Chef had a plan, a grand design. He had tasted the Master Chef’s recipes in the past and knew they were wonderful meals.

He followed the recipe to the letter.

And the final dish? A magnificent promise that changed the world and affected all time and all eternity.

And all because of his obedience to God.

What do you think you can get from following the recipe? What meal is in store for us?

I asked before: what good is obedience? What can possibly come from it?

Well, there is one good way to find out.

Wait, what was that funny-sounding word again?

Oh yeah.

....

Obey.

Constructive Thoughts: I am a child of God

Who am I?

I think that may be the one question all of us ask ourselves at some point in our life: Who am I?

I know. Do you?

You see, I am a child of God.

So are you, did y'know that?

We--all of us, everyone ever born on this planet--we are all children of God.

Yep. "Our Heavenly Father" is literal. He is the Father of my spirit, just as my father here on earth is the father of my body. There are many parallels between the two. For example, just as it was important for me, as a child, to listen and obey my earthly father, it is just as important to listen and obey my spiritual Father. My earthly father could warn me of worldly pitfalls and dangers, as well as teach me how to protect myself. My Heavenly Father can warn of spiritual pitfalls and dangers and can teach me, protect me, from those dangers.

I love Him as I love my earthly father. I speak with him as I do my earthly father.

He loves me as does my earthly father.

He knows me as well as my earthly father.

What does this mean? What does it mean to have a spiritual lineage to a Heavenly Father? That spiritual parentage defines our eternal potential. I am an heir to my Father in Heaven, just as I am an heir to my earthly father. We all stand to inherit from our Heavenly Father, just as we stand to inherit from our earthly fathers. Just as Paul wrote, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." (Romans 8:2.)

We have the ability to inherit all he has, to be joint-heirs with Christ.

All of this from a simple phrase: I am a child of God.

What powerful words, what a powerful message, what a comfort each of us can gain from this phrase.

What other phrase, what other principle, can teach us such a great and awesome principle?

I am a child of God.

And how do I know this? Just like Paul said: "The Spirit itself beareth witness with [my] spirit." I know that this is a true principle.

I know it to be true.

With this knowledge comes responsibility. Many responsibilities, in fact.

I bear the name of my earthly father--because of this, I want to act throughout my life so as to not bring dishonor to his name. Similarly, as a son of our Heavenly Father, I do not wish to bring dishonor to his name either. A modern Prophet of the Lord has said, "That man who knows that he is a child of God, created in the image of a divine Father and gifted with a potential for the exercise of great and godlike virtues, will discipline himself against the sordid, lascivious elements to which all are exposed." (Gordon B. Hinckley, “In Opposition to Evil,” Ensign, Sep 2004 at 2.)

This is one of the responsibilities I bear as His heir. It can be difficult, as none of us is perfect. I make mistakes as we all do. But I want to do my best to fulfill this responsibility--and all my responsibilities as His heir.

Just like my earthly father, my Heavenly Father wants me to succeed, to do my best, and will give me the tools I need to do it. In His case, He sent His Son, to be our Savior, to provide an example and a gift to us all.

I know this to be true.

I know it.

I am a child of God. And so are you.

Isn't it amazing?

Constructive Thoughts: Sustaining the Prophet

Yesterday in General Conference the family, with the rest of the worldwide Church, had the opportunity to take part in a solemn assembly.

“A solemn assembly, as the name implies, denotes a sacred, sober, and reverent occasion when the Saints assemble under the direction of the First Presidency. Solemn assemblies are used for three purposes: the dedication of temples, special instruction to priesthood leaders, and sustaining a new President of the Church.” (David B. Haight, Solemn Assemblies, Ensign, Nov. 1994 at 14.)

Such a solemn assembly--for the purpose of sustaining a newly called Church President and other officers of the Church--is a rare opportunity, one that has happened only a couple handfuls of times in the history of the modern Church of Jesus Christ. As a part of the process, the different priesthood quorums--starting with the First Presidency--stand and indicate their willingness to sustain the President of the Church as a prophet, seer, and revelator. Then all the members of the Church stand and do the same. The other leaders of the Church are then sustained in their various offices and callings.

This got me to thinking about the word sustain.

[Aside: I have to admit to a certain preference to using a copy of Webster’s 1828 dictionary. Webster, a master linguist, understood the power of words, understood their definitions, and understood the need for precise word usage in day-to-day communication. He understood that this was necessary for continued independence. Over time, the English language has changed repeatedly and, in many instances, has become corrupt. Many words don’t mean what they originally meant so it is possible to become completely confused when reading the classics.
Yeah, so, I’m weird.]

The 1828 Webster’s defines “sustain” in this way:

1. To bear; to uphold; to support; as, a foundation sustains the superstructure; pillars sustain an edifice; a beast sustains a load.
2. To hold; to keep from falling; as, a rope sustains a weight.
3. To support; to keep from sinking in despondence.
4. To maintain; to keep alive; to support; to subsist; as provisions to sustain a family or an army.
5. To support in any condition by aid; to assist or relieve.

When we sustain the President of the Church as a prophet, seer, and revelator, we are not “casting our vote” or showing our approval at the Lord’s choice. By definition we are promising to uphold and support him, to keep him from falling, to maintain him, and to support in any condition with our aid.

“[I]t not only signifies that we acknowledge before God that he is the rightful possessor of all the priesthood keys; it also means that we covenant with God that we will abide by the direction and the counsel that come through His prophet. It is a solemn covenant.” (Id.) Part of this covenant is a promise to uphold the prophet by our confidence, our faith, and our prayers. THIS is how we maintain him, how we support him in any condition, how we bear him up and keep him from “sinking in despondence.”

It is a sacred responsibility; I found myself thinking as I raised my right arm: “Do I know that he is a prophet of God? Do I KNOW it? Can I support him, pray for him? Can I follow his direction and do I know that God’s word will be spoken through him?"

Again, it is not simply a vote of support, a vote of confidence, or a vote of popularity. It is a promise--a covenant--with God to follow His word through His prophet.

When we raise our hands, it is because we are willing to accept and bear witness about “the knowledge we have and the testimony we have [of] our prophet and our leader. We not only raise our hands in saying we sustain but that we follow his direction, that we listen, that we counsel, that we pray about it, that we’re mindful of what comes from the lips of the prophet.” (David B. Haight, Sustaining the Prophets, Ensign, Nov. 1998 at 35.)

Members of the Church have been taught that such sustaining may appear to some as a somewhat perfunctory exercise. It is, however, “an act of grave and serious importance, an act required under the revelation of the Lord. . . . ‘[W]hen we lift up our hands in this way, it is in token to God that we are sincere in what we do, and that we will sustain the parties we vote for. . . . If we agree to do a thing and do not do it, we become covenant breakers and violators of our obligations, which are, perhaps, as solemn and binding as anything we can enter into.’” (Gordon B. Hinckley, God Is At the Helm, Ensign, May 1994 at 53. (Citations omitted.))

Two of the Church’s thirteen Articles of Faith come to mind, specifically numbers five and six.

5 We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof.

6 We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.

President Thomas S. Monson has been called of God, by prophecy, and has received the laying on of hands by the Lord’s apostles, those who are in authority to do so.

We also have the same organization in these days as existed in the Church at the time of Christ. We are led by a prophet. A modern-day prophet of God. His mouthpiece. Through him the world receives continuing revelation. We have apostles who are witnesses of the Living Christ.

I am grateful for this knowledge, and grateful that we have these offices restored upon the Earth. What a marvelous idea it is that we have a Prophet who receives revelation directly from our Heavenly Father regarding our day. We have a Prophet who, as in days of old, calls the world to repentance and proclaims the Gospel without fear, without coercion, and stands to show us the way to return to our Heavenly Father and our eternal reward.

And how marvelous is it that this choice is not foisted upon us, but that we can each have a chance to raise our hands, pledging our support, and promising to do our part to hold him up. To bear witness of him and his role.

To sustain him.

I did.

I do.

Constructive Thoughts: Easter

Happy Easter to all!

As the LW and I sit, surrounded by the Horde and the normal detritus from an Easter Morning, my thoughts turn to the reason behind today. We have the Mormon Tabernacle Choir blaring from the speakers of the stereo while the Horde scarfs down disgusting malted egg after disgusting malted egg. The small chocolate bunnies have already been devoured. Scraps and shards of cellophane and tinfoil litter the ground. And the blood-to-sugar ratio in the Horde’s collective bloodstream has long since tipped in favor of sugar.

Unfortunately, it is all too likely that the candy will outlast our recognition of the day’s importance.


The Book of Mormon prophet, Jacob, wrote these words: “But behold, the Jews were a stiffnecked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.” [Jacob 4:14]

In other words, the Jews fell because of their blindness, and their blindness came from looking beyond the mark. Elder Neal A. Maxwell, of the Quorum of the Twelve, said it this way: “The Jewish people . . . rejected the gospel, in part because it lacked adequate intellectual embroidery.”

What does that mean, to “look beyond the mark”? Elder Quentin L. Cook, at the time a member of the Quorum of the Seventy, taught simply “We look beyond the mark when we refuse to accept simple gospel truths for what they are.”
[Quentin L. Cook, Looking beyond the Mark, Ensign, Mar 2003, at 40]

What is the mark? The mark is Christ.

How do we avoid looking beyond the mark? In a broad sense, by seeking for the kingdom of God.

How do we do that? Jacob gives us one terrific idea, one that we can employ this very day: “Why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him, as to attain to the knowledge of a resurrection and the world to come?” [Jacob 4:12]

On this Easter Sunday, what an exhortation to receive! What a challenge to be laid before us! Speak of the Atonement; attain to a perfect knowledge of Christ.

Follow the promptings of Isaiah:

1 HO, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live [Isaiah 55:1-3]

On this day, why not look toward strengthening our testimony and that of our children? Push away the spiritual detritus--the scraps of tinfoil in our soul--and focus upon the bread and water of life--or the wine and milk without price--rather than a spiritual chocolate, that "which is not bread" and "satisfieth not"? Accept Him, and speak words of plainness to our children. Help their vision, and by doing so, help our own.

Help them see the mark, and not look past it.

Bear your testimony to them.

Bear your testimony to them and keep it simple: God lives. Christ lives. His sacrifice, the Atonement, is the reason for our Easter celebration. He loves us, knows us, and cares for us.

Look beyond the marshmallow chickens and chocolate eggs.

Look to the mark.

Look to Christ.

And revel in the magnificent plainness of His gospel and His gift to us.

Incline your ear, hear, and Live.