The alluring power of....Lunch?

Light version:

God gave us a world filled with all of the requisite necessity for our survival.  He commanded us to be fruitful and multiply.  He then commanded us to work hard and be industrious in our endeavors. Not long after that, Satan comes along and perverts and distorts everything so much, that we are now competing for the plentiful resources and opportunities.

This is contrary to God’s plan.  We must learn to have and exercise a little more faith in the idea that God will provide for our needs (not necessarily our wants).  We will need to practice a bit more compassion for our neighbors, and forget about the competition.  We can share a little more of ourselves, knowing that we have enough to give – acknowledging that God will provide more energy and resources to cover the expense we put out.


Full Version:

October is one of my favorite months.  It is the Month of Leaves here in Missouri, where all the trees begin preparing for winter.  The colors are amazing and the temperature is wonderful.  It is also, (for me at least) one of the only quiet months of the year.  It has a fun holiday at the end of the month, and there are no major birthdays for our family.  And at the beginning of the month we have the wonderful experience with General Conference.  For those non-LDS readers out there, General Conference is a bi-annual, two day meeting where the leaders of the LDS church address its membership throughout the world.  Speakers are chosen to talk on spiritual topics, report on the growth of the church, and sustain new leadership while expressing gratitude for the service of those leaders that are called to other service.  To my knowledge, it is a unique event in religious spheres.  I know of no other faith that collectively gathers so regularly, or puts out the effort to organize such a complex occasion.

It’s been a few weeks now since Conference, and for those who watched it…well, we’ve all had time to let things settle a bit.  It is probably a common thing, but I always tend to walk away from General Conference with a desire to make massive changes in my life.  In preparing for Conference, I step back and try to guess, based on the trends and events of the last six months, what messages the General Authorities of the Church will present.  As I looked back, I saw that one of the great and pervading issues of the last six months (and even the last few years), throughout the world, has been the overwhelming specter of the economy.

With whole countries fighting to stay financially afloat, the very real potential of financial institutions failing, and whispers of another Great Depression, there is a growing fear about when the other shoe is going to finally drop.  Talk of another stock market crash, governments scrambling to prop up failing businesses, raging credit card debt and vicious housing loans, and the global impact of an imperfect economic system…it all adds up to a very unnerving situation for families and individuals.  And it’s all going according to Satan’s master plan.

As a stay-at-home-Dad, it falls to me to get the kids ready for school each day.  The hustle and bustle of making sure that homework is done and accounted for, shoes are tied correctly, and appropriate clothing is washed and available for wear; remembering special school events, acting the chauffeur to and from said events, and more.  When taken all together, it’s all rather exhausting.  One of the duties I dread has always been fixing my kids their sack lunches.  Yet, all I have to do is take a look at the prices of the food that the school provides, and I feel much better about those nice little brown paper sacks.  This is, of course, about the time when I exert some executive authority as Dad and delegate the onerous task to the boys.  I figure that if they are going to eat it, then they might as well put the effort into making it.  This way they can’t blame me if their food doesn’t taste good.

Isn’t it a strange thing that, in today’s growing unrest, we can worry about something as common as…lunch?  I mean, it’s not just lunch.  We’re preoccupied with so many other things; things like car payments, water and electricity bills, internet and cable services, and cell phone plans.  All of these things, while seemingly vital to our survival, aren’t really meant to be worried about.

I must admit, this idea isn’t mine.  I read about it in Brother Hugh Nibley’s super awesome book: Approaching Zion.  Brother Nibley addresses the issue so much better than I could ever hope to.  To paraphrase his idea: God gave us a world filled with all of the requisite necessity for our survival.  He commanded us to be fruitful and multiply.  He then commanded us to work hard and be industrious in our endeavors. Not long after that, Satan comes along and perverts and distorts everything so much, that we are now competing for the plentiful resources and opportunities.

Nibley presents the concept better than I, but the idea is fairly straightforward.  Satan, in his diabolical cunning, has created a very logical system that requires us to spend all of our time, talents, and considerable focus on the irrational need to make enough money to buy the necessities that God provides to us for free.  As with all that he does, our eternal adversary takes something godly and perverts it so thoroughly that it becomes profane.   In this instance he’s selected to taint the commandment Heavenly Father gave Father Adam:

“In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread…”
(Gen. 3:19 – see also: Moses 5:1)

Now Heavenly Father, in his infinite wisdom, gave us the responsibility to work hard for our food.  There are a number of reasons for this, but the main one (to my understanding) is the lesson that hard work gives birth to deep and abiding gratitude.  There are other benefits as well: confidence, wisdom, intelligence…the list goes on and on.  Satan on the other hand takes this lesson and turns it on its head.  His initial whispered communication to us is terribly logical: “You need to eat.”  His second is even more logical:  “That guy needs to eat too.”  Both are true and without further influence, the two parties might pool their efforts to feed one another.  However, Satan doesn’t stop there.  His next line is a supposition that inspires the first seeds of doubt: “Dear me!  That certainly doesn’t seem like it’ll be enough to feed the both of you, does it?”

Thus is introduced the concept of rivalry, which in turn leads to hoarding, which inevitably leads to greed and covetousness.  The system was built slowly and subtly, and then at key intervals it was inflamed – at which point the system became self-perpetuating.  Now, we move forwards in time, to present day.  The system has mutated, pervasively expanding into all walks of life.  The concept of “Lunch” is still at the foundation of all that we do, and our needs are exploited by vast corporations in an effort to control more of the resource pie.  In order to be competitive in our careers, so that we can have a larger and better “lunch”, we have to begin preparing at younger and younger ages.  We learn to “distinguish” ourselves in academics, sports, and other activities – all for the express purpose of telling our prospective schools, colleges, and employers that we are more worthy of “Lunch” than that other schlep vying for the same position.  The competition becomes contentious, and we find ourselves at war with our neighbors over the most inane things.

Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection, which I believe was a divinely inspired concept that was again perverted for Satan’s pleasure, has become a self-fulfilling, man-made, prophesy.  Allow me to explain my take on Natural Selection.  If we look to nature, we see a divinely organized eco-system that is complex and balanced.  It is self-correcting, and self-sustaining, with no need for overly invasive outside guidance from man.  At least it was established that way at the beginning.  Left to itself, nature works to ensure propagation and balance.  Man misinterpreted the lesson to mean “Survival of the Fittest” instead of “Survival of All.”

There will come a day when Satan’s plan will implode.  All imperfect plans do, regardless of how many times it is nudged or corrected.  When it does, we will be faced with some very hard times, but at the same time we will finally be free of the massively overbearing societal machine that forces us to compete with one another for our necessities.  Zion will be built on the concept that there’s more than enough to go around.  The ideal of sharing that we are taught as children, will be revived and perfected, and nature will correct the imbalance that Satan has imposed upon it.  Will it be easy?  No.  But in order to make that shift, we must learn to have and exercise a little more faith in the idea that God will provide for our needs (not necessarily our wants).  We will need to practice a bit more compassion for our neighbors, and forget about the competition.  We can share a little more of ourselves, knowing that we have enough to give – acknowledging that God will provide more energy and resources to cover the expense we put out.

There is no doubt that we’re still subject to Satan’s system; however, as citizens of God’s kingdom, we can readily draw hope from the knowledge that such a flawed system cannot hope to sustain itself.  Take a moment this week to look at some of the ways that Heavenly Father has provided for you.  Not just financially, but in all aspects of your life.  The moments are there, were providence and serendipity meet your needs and your desires.  Look for them.  Celebrate them.  Take comfort in the knowledge that even though life is difficult, Heaven has provided more than enough lunch to go around.

Have a good week!

Jeffrey

The Farmer and the King

There once was a young man.  He was modest and pure, and largely content with his life.  He worked the fields of his family without complaint or discontent.  One evening, while weeding his crop, a man dressed in fine clothes came to him and begged water to quench his thirst.  The young man fetched the water readily and gave the man to drink.  Not only this, but he fetched the man a loaf of bread and block of cheese to eat.  When his thirst was sated and his hunger appeased, the older man looked to the younger and complimented his generosity.  He handed the young man a few coins in payment, but the young man pressed them back into the older man’s hands.  When asked why he refused payment, the young man smiled and simply said:

“What you have received was not mine to give, but the gift of Heaven.”

The man was astonished at the young man’s humility, and sought to question him further.

“To what do you aspire?”  He asked pointedly.

“I have been taught to be a good steward of all that I have been blessed with.  To that end I desire naught but to be a good son, a good worker, and someday a good husband and father.  And when it is time to inherit all that my father has, I pray that I am half the man that he has been.”

The older man was further astonished by the youth’s words, and he marveled greatly as they stood in borders of the field.

“Such a rare man, I have found in you.”  He told the young farmer.  “In you I have discovered kindness, and charity.  In you I have uncovered humility.”  He spread his arms wide.  “I have travelled the width and breadth of the world, and in every corner I find nothing but greed and the desire to hoard.  In every city they buy and sell of every commodity, and the worth of man’s souls are measured in the weight of gold and silver.  Why are you so different?”

The young man thought for a time, and then pointed to the setting sun.

“Can you create for me such a wondrous gift as that?”  He asked.


“No.”  The older man admitted.  “It is beyond me.”

The young man pointed to a tall fruit tree that cast long shadows against his small home.

“Can you make for me the seed that can blossom a tree, in this moment, as splendid or as bountiful as that?”

“I cannot.”

“What treasure then, could you give me that is the equal of the wealth that surrounds us?  And in turn, who am I to charge for that which has been so freely given?”

The older man smiled, and thought to confound the boy’s argument and teach the boy some worldly wisdom.

“Alas, your youth shines through, young son.  This land can be bought with gold and silver.”

The boy smiled and nodded, then pointed back to the trees and the majestic sky.

“Pray, good father, who is the author of such beauty; Man or God?”

The wealthy man weighed his words carefully, but could not deny the truth he knew to be in his heart.

“Surely, it must be God.”

“And did he sell it to the kings of old as property?”

“No.”  The man bowed his head in shame.  “It was gifted freely.”

“If it was a gift, then who are we to lay claim on that which was freely given to all?”

The man, who in truth was the king of the kingdom round about, left the young farmer with heavy thoughts.  But his arms were not empty, for the boy had further shared of his field and of his home to ensure the man’s comfort in his journey.  His heart was heavy with the boy’s message, and he kept the meaning of it within his soul all the rest of his days.  And his rule was just and generous.  When his sons grew, he taught them the lesson; and his kingdom prospered unlike any other from that day forth.

The young man grew to be an old man, and upon his death the sons of the king gathered round about his humble home.  They were received openly, and generously gifted of everything that the farmer’s family had.  And they spoke freely of all that the man had taught their father.  And on that day there were no princes or farm boys.  There were only men, and they saw eye to eye and were one family.

OooooO0OooooO

There are morals to be found in all things and all places, but when we look into the beautiful sunsets and round about this magnificent world we live in we must remember that it is not ours to own.  We are but stewards of all that we have, whether it be physical wealth, rich talents, an abundance of knowledge and wisdom, or the simple beauty of testimony.  Recognizing the fruitful blessings that Heaven has poured out upon us, how can we not share as freely as God has given?

Have a wonderful week!
Jeffrey

Endurance

Looking To Zion Lite
(The Condensed Version for Super Busy Moms)

Life requires us to constantly stretch beyond our comfort zone.  There are many times where we want to throw in the towel and give up.  Yet, the whole purpose of this life is to prepare us for life with God, in the Celestial Kingdom.  We cannot hope to endure the spiritual purity of that place, if we do not first purify ourselves.  Zion is going to be much the same.  In order to prepare for it, we must align ourselves physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally with God.  Such an endeavor takes time, personal sacrifice, and constant effort.


Here’s the challenge:

    Take ten minutes each morning to feel God’s spirit.  It doesn’t matter how you do it: prayer, singing, reading the scriptures, going to the temple, listening to uplifting music.  Whatever way that you connect with God best, do it.  When that becomes a habit, increase it by ten minutes until you reach the point where the majority of the day is spent in the company of the Holy Ghost.

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Looking To Zion Not-So-Lite
(The “Everyone” Version)

It never ceases to amaze me, the lengths that Satan and his armies go to in order to undermine the great work of the Lord.  Yet, what amazes me more is the fact that their efforts are so very fruitless!  They know they cannot win.  They know that they are fighting a losing battle.  All their efforts are frustrated at the end of the day.  What is it that makes them hold so steadfastly to their course?  What is it that drives them, in the face of such a hopeless cause?  And yet, on the flip side of this metaphorical coin; how is that we, the children of God Almighty, can falter so easily when we are backed by such an unstoppable, unassailable force?  Considering the amount of opposition that we are flooded with, I feel our faltering comes more from a lack of spiritual endurance than anything else.

I can only speak for my own family in this thing but, in looking back over the last three months, the opposition we have faced has been rather fierce.  To give you an idea, I’ll list just a few things: Unexpected bills, our basement flooded, Janell was exposed to and had a serious allergic reaction to, poison ivy (she’s had it going on three weeks now, and still hasn’t been able to get rid of it), illness, new callings in church, and an increase in the activities outside of our home.  The pace has been horrendous, and the new challenges seem to constantly ride on the coattails of the old.  There is no time to breathe, and scarcely time to think.  Our attention is pulled in a myriad of directions at once, and each direction is necessary.

When I think about life, I liken it to any sport or physical activity that requires us to exert a serious effort over a prolonged amount of time.  In my youth, my sport of choice was running.  At just under five foot six inches, I was the shortest hurdler on the track team.  It was a challenge for me, racing against my peers who had longer legs and longer reach.  For those not familiar with the event, there are several obstacle runs: the short 110 meter high (39 inches) hurdle, the midrange 300 meter intermediate (36 inches) hurdles, and the long distance steeple run where heights and distance vary.

Coach Parker, the Head Coach of the track team, was of the opinion that the hurdlers should be the most adaptive part of the team; therefore we were encouraged to cross train in almost all the other running events.  So I ran cross country, long, short, and mid distances.  It was grueling, and I must confess to you that I was average at best.  Competitive running of any sort requires dedication.  There is a point in all events where your body tells you quite emphatically: “I’m done.  This is as far as I go.”  This is the point of the event where your mind, as the mediator between body and spirit starts to waffle too.  In the moment of agony, when your lungs are burning, your muscles are screaming, and your mind is telling you it’s time to stop, that is when you’re faced with a choice: give into their demands or let your spirit step forward and push you through to the finish line.

How often have you been faced with overwhelming opposition, or life itself seems to set an insane pace for you.  How often have you thrown up your hands in the air and said: “No more!  I can’t do it?”
It seems to happen to me about once a month.

Life requires endurance.  It’s mentioned frequently in the scriptures too: endure to the end, endure all things, etc.  Yet, physical and mental endurance aren’t the only forms of endurance that we need.  Let me ask you a couple of questions: Have you ever been to or experienced a particularly spiritual event?  When you walked away from that incident, did you feel happily drained or tired?

Like our bodies and minds, our spirits are subject to overwhelming stress and fatigue.  Our spirits require a training regime to build up our fortitude and durability.  Our spiritual self needs just as much attention as our bodies, in order to go the distance.  We have spiritual weights and exercises that need to happen on a daily basis if we are to see Zion established.


Life already requires us to constantly stretch beyond our comfort zone, just to survive.  We are already doing the work, but often times we forget where the finish line is.  And there are many times where we want nothing more than to throw in the towel and give up.  Yet, we must remember one thing: the whole purpose of this life is to prepare us for life with God, in the Celestial Kingdom.  We cannot hope to endure the spiritual purity of that place, or the immensity of our Heavenly Father’s loving presence, if we do not first purify ourselves.  Zion is going to be much the same.  In order to prepare for it, we must align ourselves physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally with God.  Such an endeavor takes time, personal sacrifice, and constant effort.

How else can we expect to live there, amongst all that purity and goodness, if we are still tied to a spiritual junk food diet and a wastefully meandering lifestyle?

Likewise, how are we going to be able to endure God’s presence, or withstand the excessively pure daily life of the Celestial Kingdom, if we don’t prepare ourselves in this life to do so?  In order to meet Zion’s, and Heaven’s, entry requirements, we will have to stretch our spirits slowly and carefully, over the whole course of our lives.  Such an endeavor cannot happen overnight, nor will it be very easy.  We must pace ourselves to avoid burn out and the naysaying voices of Satan and his armies.

We must give ourselves a solid and visual goal, one that will drive us during those times when our spirit cries out “No more!” and yearns to throw in the towel.  Satan knows he’s lost.  I suspect all that drives him now is the desire to see how many souls he can take down with him.  It’s a spiteful and petty desire, but what does he have left to hold to?  On the flipside of the coin, we know that God will win.  And in this race, it doesn’t matter what your finishing time is.  This race is simply about finishing as best you can.

So here’s the challenge:  Take ten minutes each morning to feel God’s spirit.  It doesn’t matter how you do it: prayer, singing, reading the scriptures, going to the temple, listening to uplifting music.  Whatever way that you connect with God best, do it consistently and frequently.  When that becomes a habit, increase it by ten minutes until you reach the point where the majority of the day is spent in the company of the Holy Ghost.


Until next week.

Jeffrey