While reading some random passages in the scriptures, I came across one again that always give me a little pause...
And because they did cast them all out, that there were none righteous among them, I did send down fire and destroy them, that their wickedness and abominations might be hid from before my face, that the blood of the prophets and the saints whom I sent among them might not cry unto me from the ground against them. And many great destructions have I caused to come upon this land, and upon this people, because of their wickedness and their abominations. O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?
(Book of Mormon 3 Nephi 9:11 - 13)
With startling clarity it comes to me again and again. Jesus was not speaking to them because they were totally righteous, he was speaking to them because they were more righteous than the people who were destroyed!
They were just the best of the worst.
Which made me think about my own spiritual commitments.
Am I the best of the worst? The worst of the worst? Lukewarm in my covenants and commitments, am I fit only to be spewed out as being 'neither hot nor cold'?
I have been reading some apocalyptic books of late which are set in a spiritual perspective that reminds me that even good people will not be spared the difficulties which most certainly are coming. But the 'more righteous' will have an opportunity to 'return and repent' and, if we prove worthy, be healed by the Lord of all that troubles us.
There was a hymn I learned a while back called "More Holiness Give Me". The lyrics are compelling to me because it is a pleading prayer to become more than we are on our own, specifically, more than I am in my sinful and polluted state.
Our society has accepted a wide variety of perversion in the name of being tolerant. That isn't tolerance - it's sin.
We can't expect our Father to take us as we are and just hope for the best with no preparation to BE the best.
Momma told me one time that if we didn't repent of our sins, we would be as out of place in the holy, pure and clean kingdom of God as a pair of brown shoes with a tuxedo. It just doesn't work.
The intent is there, but like the 5 foolish virgins who had prepared only part of the way, we won't get into the kingdom on the good deeds and sacrifice of another.
Scary thoughts.
But necessary.
Without the proper preparation both temporally and spiritually, we have no hope at all.
Jesus Christ stands with His arms outstretched and tenderly pleads with us to turn to Him.
We want all sorts of substitutes for what is right. I know anytime I justify my own lack of good choices by making it seem all 'reasonable', I have opened the door and kicked the Holy Spirit right out. Then, I wonder later on why things seem so dark and foreboding.
One of the books I was reading had an interesting passage in it that talked about the self-justifying behaviors that we allow ourselves to wallow in while still believing that it doesn't matter and that those who are wiser heads simple 'are out of touch'.
Funny thing is, those wiser heads are the very people we run to when the house of cards collapses and our world of lies burns us up in the flames we lit.
I want to be better - tomorrow. But I want the benefits of good choices today.
Like the 5 foolish virgins who took no thought for preparation and would have bankrupted others of spiritual light if it were possible, I fear that our tether to the principles of the Gospel are only as tightly wound as our testimony that the leadership of the Church is truly inspired of God.
When we say we sustain them, do we? Do I? Or is it a matter of personal convenience instead of being a matter of personal righteousness?
Voices cry and clamor for change. And change they will get. But it won't be the kind of change they hoped for long-term. The suffering will be great and damage will be done.
But there is One who has already paid the price for the arrogance, the pride and the short-sightedness and who will take all of us back - if only we will be gathered.
Just something to chew on while watching the world revolve...
