Full-Hearted Obedience
By C.S.
Bezas
…be
firm in keeping the commandments wherewith I commanded
you; and if you do this, behold I grant unto you
eternal life,….
D&C 5:22
Why must we be “firm
in keeping the commandments?” Our youth need to
know. Is it simply to avoid pain? That can’t be
true, because there were plenty of prophets who
were obedient, yet suffered torture and other
forms of deprivation because of their unyielding
obedience to God.
Thus, thinking this
through, obedience does not always bring absence
of pain or absence of trial. In fact, sometimes
it summons it. There is much for our seminary
students to understand as to the topic of obedience
and to grow in appreciation for it.
Is our obedience
simply to win a prize — some perceived perk for
having proven faithful to the God of this universe?
That, too, is an unworkable stance, because sometimes
perks in this life do not show up for the faithful.
Even a popular vocalist
sang of how often it appears that good people
pass on without experiencing fun. The lyricist
of the song seemed to think that people who refrain
from sin die without happiness (at least, from
my perception of the song). “Come on,” you can
almost hear those in the world who are similarly
minded say, “get a little ‘fun’ in life.”
So here is the question:
Why is it those who best know the Lord do not
worry when immediate “fun” seems missing from
rewards for gospel citizenship? How is it the
Lord’s faithful speak in grateful tones for his
mercies even whilst in the face of intense sufferings?
Our students need to know. The prophets have told
us the days ahead will be intense. Are our young
men and women ready to remain obedient through
it all, ignoring essentially the hecklers of this
world?
After all Nephi went
through, years later in retrospect he witnessed
of the gentle goodness of the Lord (1 Nephi 1:1),
yet his two book in the Book of Mormon record
witness of horrifying acts of family violence
enacted upon him by his brothers. How was it that
he remained true and faithful to the Lord, in
spite of great suffering? The anti-Nephi-Lehies
also were quite similar in their perspective and
their level of obedience, in spite of a large
number of them who were slaughtered because of
it (see Alma 24:15, 20-24).
Why is it that we
sometimes wilt or even faint when the spiritual
heat of the day becomes intense? What can we do
to strengthen ourselves so that we can be faithful
to the Lord in all settings, just like Nephi,
the anti-Nephi-Lehies, and so many other obedient
souls in the scriptures did. To imply that obedience
always yields blessings in this life can be a
disservice to our students. They need to understand
that after the testing comes the blessings.
And when we live this way, our students will see
how to do it and be more likely to follow the
path that leads to eternal life with God.
Thus, our students
need to hear and know what it is that is so amazing
about God’s goodness and his presence. They need
to understand why those who know him best are
obedient through any difficulty life may throw
at them.
Nephi placed desire
for obedience to God above the desire for physical
comfort. If our students can’t yet comprehend
this level of discipleship, what can we do to
deepen their appreciation and understanding of
it? Who wants to be fair-weather friends of the
Lord, blown over by the slightest wind of indifference
or physical trial? Not us as teachers and I doubt
not any of our students.
Nephi, the valiant
anti-Nephi-Lehies, and other trustworthy saints
throughout history have been willing to stand
firm in spite of discomfort. What insights do
they hold for us? What do they hold for our students?
What truths were
these ancient faithful so sure of, that nothing
fazed them from their path towards the Most High?
Our students desperately need this knowledge,
because it will affect them for the rest of their
earthly lives and eternal existence.
For example, once
our youth grasp for themselves the magnificence
of Christ and what He did for them, the urgency
of being faithful will fill their souls. This
knowledge will lead to a love for their Redeemer
that will become more powerful than anything the
adversary could throw their way. Our students
need to know this and we are the ones called to
teach them of it.
The days ahead will
not be easy ones. Read any of the prophetic words
from the Lord’s selected spokesmen, both modern
and ancient. Deeper troubles than we’ve yet known
will soon be upon us, if not already beginning.
Our students must know of God, of His goodness,
and of the purpose of testing in this life. They
need to understand and love the principle of obedience
and what it will yield unto them. They need this
knowledge deeply imbedded within them (as do we),
so that when the final moments are upon them before
Christ’s coming, they will not fold under the
weight of it all.
Joseph Smith himself
saw a varying level of faithfulness amongst those
who were closest to him. Many individuals, both
friends and associates, turned on him. Even though
they had stood with him during historic times,
the weight of discipleship felt too great. How
is it they lost the joy that comes from a visionary
mind and a willing, obedient heart?
And more importantly,
how come Joseph Smith did not fail the Lord? How
come he chose obedience, even while being falsely
accused, betrayed, imprisoned, seeing his children
become ill and die because of the acts of others?
He suffered through tarring and eventual martyrdom.
What is it that Joseph Smith and other valiant
souls knew (and know) that brings them to the
altar of complete obedience? What understanding
of God do they have that allows them to trust
Him completely, a Being that so many in the world
accuse of absence from the very earth He created?
Our students deserve
and need to know the answers to these questions.
And they don’t just need to know them with their
minds; they need to absorb them with their hearts.
Picture each of these scenes:
These are faithful
souls, steady in their witness and love of God
during times when that same God might appear absent.
It is our job to first know this for ourselves
and then to share it with our students. Finally,
our students need to see our modern-day example
of such willing obedience.
There was a reason
we shouted for joy in the pre-earth life upon
reviewing the possibilities here (Job 38:7). We
knew the possibilities; I’m sure of it. God is
a God of truth. He would not have lied as to the
difficulties we would experience here. I’m positive
we had understanding, at least in part, of what
lay before us if we chose the plan of happiness
presented to us.
For example, my husband’s
patriarchal blessing mentions he had the opportunity
to view the possibilities present on the earth,
both good and ill, and he still chose to come
and to fulfill a work while here. Again, our God
is a God of truth. Can you imagine Him withholding
essential knowledge before we made our choice?
I think not. And we can read that during that
pre-mortal decision-making time, we shouted for
joy (Job 38:7). It would seem apparent we were
privy to a great vista than what we now have.
The battle here rages.
But amidst the suffering and anguish experienced
in mortality, there really is joy that can await
the faithful — even in this life. There are flowers
to enliven the senses, foods to taste, birds to
hear, so many pieces of beauty all around. And
the relationships! Oh, the relationships of lasting
love that we can build while here.
Lucifer would have
us lose all of this, both now and in the eternities,
by focusing on the sacrifices required of the
faithful. He would also have us get so entangled
in his snare of sin that we forget there really
is a way back. But rather than get entangled,
why not avoid the snares entirely? And thus, as
teachers we show up every day for class with our
students — to teach them of the plan of salvation,
to teach them of the Redemption, and especially
to teach them of the significance of obedience.
When our students
(and us, for that matter) really understand the
beauty of the Lord, His grace, His compassion,
His wisdom, His mercy — the descriptions could
continue on — these same students will far better
grasp why the Lord’s prophets have revered and
adored Him throughout the ages. Our students will
want to please Him by repenting of their sins
and living a life of full-hearted obedience. The
individuals who have an undying love and awe for
the Lord are those who have taken the time to
get to know Him in the scriptures, through pondering
and with prayer. As a result, these individuals
become sons and daughters in Christ, experiencing
the following as King Benjamin’s people did:
And
now it came to pass that when king Benjamin had
made an end of speaking the words which had been
delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord, that
he cast his eyes round about on the multitude,
and behold they had fallen to the earth, for the
fear of the Lord had come upon them.
And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal
state, even less than the dust of the earth. And
they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O
have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ
that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and
our hearts may be purified; for we believe in
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven
and earth, and all things; who shall come down
among the children of men.
And it came to pass that after they had spoken
these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them,
and they were filled with joy, having received
a remission of their sins, and having peace of
conscience, because of the exceeding faith which
they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according
to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto
them (Mosiah 4:1-3).
