The Strait Gate

My daughter and I have a little saying:

"Do the hard first, and the easy soon follows.
Do the easy first, and the hard soon follows."

It seems this pops up in life everywhere. For example, in moral issues and "one night stands." What may seem easy the next morning can bring remorse as pregnancy and other issues crop up.

My daughter is perhaps too young to understand the previous example, but we have talked about other scenarios; i.e. a person at work sees money laying on the desk and he or she has an overdue bill. What might seem easy (taking the money) soon turns into the hard if and when they are discovered, with tough consequences following.

My husband is a counselor and has worked with those struggling with addictions. What a tough road! And as a result of a multitude of choices, many are one step from prison. One more infraction and they lose their children and their freedom.

The hardest thing for an addict is to say no to the drug they've so easily brought into their lives. How much easier if the drug had never been taken in the first place. But that would have required a hard choice made under peer pressure. Thus the saying: "Do the hard first, and the easy soon follows. Do the easy first, and the hard soon follows."

Now individuals struggling with addictions must face tough choices. But if they "do the hard" now, the easy will come later--meaning the joy of still being with their kids and enjoying therefore fruits of hard decisions made well. (An addiction is something that requires outside professional help, both from the Lord and oftentimes with a professional counselor or group. Otherwise, it wouldn't be an addiction. It is tough and heartbreaking.)

What is so essential for these struggling individuals is to begin choosing "the hard first" now that their situation is so dire. Yet some continue to choose the easy way out (taking a "hit"). Then when the "hard" comes (i.e. losing their kids and going to prison), the sorrow is heartbreaking.

Thus, I've talked much with my kids how much better life will be for them when they become accustomed to doing the hard things in life first (do your homework early because then the fruits will come later, doing your chores first before playing, etc.).

So when I read in Matthew 7:13-14 today, I thought of that family expression of ours. It is a struggle to live, but how urgent to do so! Thus, these verses in the Bible are particularly significant regarding all this ... (Remember, "strait" means narrow; "straight" means not crooked):

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

In other words, it's all too simple to choose the "easy" in life...but the consequences will come (whether the next day or in 20 years time). So few find this though, as shown in the next verse:

Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

How urgent we listen to the Lord and thereby avoid heartache.

Raising a Generation

Yesterday during our Christmas service, I sang with the congregation the beautiful Sacrament hymn (it was the one my young daughter thought so very long). At the bottom of the page, a scriptural reference caught my eye: JST Genesis 14:30-34.

My eyes grew wide as I turned to the reference and read it. How does a mother or a church family (or a nation) raise a generation with faith equal to this? Moses parted the red sea; Daniel had the faith to face lions. Many, many ancient prophets spoken of in the Bible had miracles that occurred. Faith precedes every miracle. How does a mother, or any of us really, raise a generation with that kind of faith?

I was praying this morning about this and the spirit whispered to me, "It begins with those who lead them." And I realized the veracity of this. If I as an adult, or we as a nation's group of parents, do not know the Lord ourselves, how can we teach of His goodness, grace, or power to our young?

Raising a generation full of faith and knowledge of God's abilities begins with those who do the raising.

Turning the Other Cheek

Christ taught that we are to "turn the other cheek" when struck by an enemy. In other words, we are not to retaliate. Today I was reading in Doctrine and Covenants 98 and was struck by these words:

"And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God."

And I realized: unless I'm studying the scriptures and feasting on them, I'm not so sure I--on my own--have the power to be kind in the face of ugliness. I need the Lord and studying His words strengthens me, even in the hard things (see Philippians 4:13).

The Purpose of Prophecy

This quote is quite instructive:

"The purpose of prophecy is frequently misunderstood. It is not the Lord's purpose to completely remove the veil which guards the future. Too much prophecy would defeat the plan of salvation. Life on earth was designed for our education and testing." (W. Cleon Skousen, Prophecy and Modern Times, 5)

If all were revealed, where would be the testing? For example, we read in the Pearl of Great Price the words of the Lord:

We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them." (Abraham 3:24-25, see also Genesis 1:26)

If sin's effects were immediately felt, why would anyone choose anything but purity? But instead, if the results are delayed in coming, we then are more free to choose whether in principle we will follow our Father in Heaven's counsel...even if it brings no immediate gift.

In other words, to quote the hymn: "Who's on the Lord's side, who?" No matter what. Will we be true to Him till death, even without immediate reward? Thus, again, to quote the statement above: "Life on earth was designed for our education and testing."

Christ's Way

Here is how to face those that mock and scorn:

I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded... (2 Nephi 7:6

The First Presidency has asked those in California to stand up and be counted, supporting Proposition 8. What could be a clearer request? Yet to do so may engage some to mock and actually be mean.

It is in times like these that I think on the Savior who knew full well the eventual outcome of all He faced. It would be glorious, both on the earth and in the eternities. Here is a sample of what awaits:

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.

Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation; for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light for the people.

My righteousness is near.

If we fear and tremble in the face of anger, animosity and persecution, we can know that Jesus Christ faced the same. He showed the way of how to handle it; we can too...with His help.

A Verse of Encouragement

When all looks too dark, too bleak, too discouraging, here is a great verse to remember. The Lord said:

I will not suffer that they shall destroy my work; yea, I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil (D&C 10:43).

Even if things look lost, they are not when the Lord is the One in charge. We need not fear, for He will prevail in His own time, way, and manner.

The Anger Response

I remember a woman in a busy place who shoved past me and then yelled at me for being in the way. I immediately felt angry at her response. After all, she was the one that pushed me; why then was she yelling at me?

Truth be known, I wish I'd handled the situation better. I wish I'd smiled at her and had oozed kindness. She obviously was not in a happy place herself, having to rush like she was. Today I hope I would handle this scenario better. After all, I'm older and hopefully less likely to judge and rush to a response myself.

Situations like these remind me of a story from the Book of Mormon. Two groups of people, the Lamanites and the Nephites, were at odds. The Nephites knew much more of Christ and when they were living according to that knowledge, His grace was upon them. As a result, their enemies (the Lamanites) generally were mollified and rarely attacked. But sometimes their enemies still came upon them and it was the Nephites' necessary choice to determine how to handle the challenge.

One such scenario is recorded in the Book of Mormon in Alma 24. When the Lamanites come upon a particularly valiant group of believers, those individuals (called Anti-Nephi-Lehies) chose to suffer death rather than to defend themselves. They did this because prior to their conversion to Christ, they had been blood-thirsty and had murdered many. Therefore, being frightened at their previous choices and wanting to remain pure in Christ, they had buried their swords and made a covenant with the Lord never to take the life of God's children again. Their previous murdering habits disgusted them.

Here is one set of verses from the account:

Now when the people saw that they [their enemies] were coming against them they went out to meet them, and prostrated themselves before them to the earth, and began to call on the name of the Lord; and thus they were in this attitude when the Lamanites began to fall upon them, and began to slay them with the sword.

And thus without meeting any resistance, they did slay a thousand and five of them; and we know that they are blessed, for they have gone to dwell with their God(Alma 24:21-22).

Can you imagine fearing your old sins so greatly that you would die rather than repeat them? That is the situation here. And yet all is not lost. Their enemies were so stung by this act of humility that here is their response:

Now when the Lamanites saw this they did forbear from slaying them; and there were many whose hearts had swollen in them for those of their brethren who had fallen under the sword, for they repented of the things which they had done.

And it came to pass that they threw down their weapons of war, and they would not take them again, for they were stung for the murders which they had committed; and they came down even as their brethren, relying upon the mercies of those whose arms were lifted to slay them.

And it came to pass that the people of God were joined that day by more than the number who had been slain;

And there...were more than a thousand brought to the knowledge of the truth; thus we see that the Lord worketh in many ways to the salvation of his people(Alma 24:23-26).

Because of the purity of intent of the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, additional people were blessed.

I think on this as I ponder the "peaceful demonstrations" being held at the "large Mormon temple" in Oakland by those who support the defeat of Proposition 8. I ponder on the response of the church members as they have to drive past the leering and screaming of those protestors. I pray for all the people involved as the vote on Proposition 8 comes closer. But I think on how essential it is that we have gentle responses toward our enemies.

Why are gentle responses usually necessary, at least in most cases? Because of what the Lord taught in Luke 6:35-36:

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful

We're not Christians simply because we say we are; we are full Christians when we act as Christ would in the various settings we find ourselves. And the conversions will come, just as they came when the Anti-Nephi-Lehies laid down their lives rather than mirror back hatred toward their offenders. Remember, to "be merciful" means to extend mercy in the face of offense -- rather than an angry response.

I may not have this learned completely. But Michelle Worley obviously has. Her experience on the frontlines with this Proposition 8 experience is beautiful. You can read more about what she's done by clicking here.