The Measure of a Man
This is going to fly in the face of what most people think about Mormon Fundamentalism, and even the opinions of some of the Fundamentalists themselves, but it's entirely scriptural. OK, hold on to your seats, here it comes:
We are all the same.
There, I said it. In God's eyes, the smallest child, the most recent convert, the Prophet and Council Members, and the bum on the street are all the same.
Now, before you throw stones at me, hear me out.
An office, even the highest of priesthood offices is nothing more than a calling. As a matter of fact, Christ told His disciples that the ones who desired to be leaders must first be servants. Then, to illustrate His point, He wrapped a towel around his waist and performed the most menial task a servant could be asked to perform. He washed their feet.
So we have among us many different men, and we seem so often to measure their worth based on their title or their priesthood office. Don't get me wrong. I mean no disrespect to those in high offices, but I think that we have largely as a people and as a human race, stopped seeing people for what matters and have started seeing them with giant labels over their heads. One is Prophet and one is Aaronic Priesthood holder. One is Wealthy Business Man and one is Minimum Wage Earner. And these titles are true, but they do not measure the worth of a man. I know people with Elder labels who brightly outshine people with Apostle lables. I know Middle Class families who put Wealthy families to shame.
So how do you measure? There are a couple of answers. The first is to look at yourself and ask why you're measuring at all. The second is to figure out what is really important. What matters more, the label that is over a man's head, or the love for his God and family that is in his heart? Is the monetary wealth of a man more significant than the welath of love he gives to those in his circle? Should a man with a higher class label be put on a different plane than another man?
Let's stop looking through the eyes of fallible humans, and start looking at one another through God's eyes. Perhaps then we will begin to see people for who they really are. I think that if we all did this, we would be both repulsed and enamored with what we would find.
posted by JLL at 1:53 PM
2 Comments:
"From a retrospect of the requirements of the servants of God to preach the Gospel, we find few qualified even to be Priests, and if a Priest understands his duty, his calling, and ministry, and preaches by the Holy Ghost, his enjoyment is as great as if he were one of the Presidency; and his services are necessary in the body, as are also those of the Teachers, and Deacons. Therefore, in viewing the Church as a whole, we may strictly denominate it one Priesthood." (TPJS pg112)
"All who have died without a knowledge of this Gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the Celestial Kingdom of God; also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom. For I the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts." (Revelation in TPJS pg 107)
"We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion. Hence many are called, but few are chosen. No power or influence can or aught to be maintained by virtue of the Priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; by kindness and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile...Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven. The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever." (D&C 121)
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