Better to Obey ...

I came across a very interesting quote from Brigham Young (JD 8:12-13, March 5, 1860). I think of this as a discussion of "Type I" and "Type II" errors in obedience. When we take it upon ourselves to determine which beggar needs our help or which direction from a church authority is actually from God (thus, meriting obedience) we may make two kinds of mistakes: doing what we should when we should not, or not doing what we should when we should. Brigham was speaking in the context of people questioning some things he does or directs. It is evident that he has a good reason for what he is doing. It is also evident that what he is doing is within his stewardship. Here is the quote:

I have very little to say to men who are dissatisfied with my course, or with the course of my brethren. Some have wished me to explain why we built an adobie wall around city. Are there any Saints who stumble at such things? Oh, slow of heart to understand and believe. I build walls, dig ditches, make bridges, and do a great amount and variety of labour that is of but little consequence only to provide ways and means for sustaining and preserving the destitute. I annually expend hundreds and thousands of dollars almost solely to furnish employment to those in want of labour. Why? I have potatoes, flour, beef, and other articles of food, which I wish my brethren to have; and it is better for them to labour for those articles, so far as they are able and have opportunity, than to have them given to them. They work, and I deal out provisions, often when the work does not profit me.

When a man begins to find fault, inquiring in regard to this, that, and the other, saying, "Does this or that look as though the Lord dictated it?" you may know that that person has more or less of the spirit of apostasy. Every man in this kingdom, or upon the face of the earth, who is seeking with all his heart to save himself, has as much to do as he can conveniently attend to, without calling in question that which does not belong to him. If he succeeds in saving himself, it has well occupied his time and attention. See to it that you are right yourselves; see that sins and folly do not manifest themselves with the rising sun. I repeat that it is as much as any one can well do to take care of himself by performing every duty that pertains to his temporal and eternal welfare.

Suppose that in this community there are ten beggars who beg from door to door for something to eat, and that nine of them are impostors who beg to escape work, and with an evil heart practise imposition upon the generous and sympathetic, and that only one of the ten who visit your doors is worthy of your bounty; which is best, to give food to the ten, to make sure of helping the truly needy one, or to repulse the ten because you do not know which is the worthy one? You will all say, Administer charitable gifts to the ten, rather than turn away the only truly worthy and truly needy person among them. If you do this, it will make no difference in your blessings, whether you administer to worthy or unworthy persons, inasmuch as you give alms with a single eye to assist the truly needy.

Again: Suppose that you are required to do ten pieces of work, but of the ten only one is necessary for the promotion of the kingdom of God; which had you better do - perform the ten pieces of labour, to be sure of doing the right piece, or neglect the whole ten because you do not know which the right one is? Had you not better do the whole ten pieces, that you may be sure of performing that which the Lord does really require at your hands?

First, believe in the Lord God Almighty, in his Son Jesus Christ, and in his Prophets that he sent in days of old; then believe in Joseph Smith, and do the works of the Father, before you question what I dictate to this people.

This seems worthy of very careful thought. It may apply in more circumstances that just what Brigham was discussing. Maybe we need to better honor the agency and stewardship of those who are called to positions of responsibility. At the least, this quote gives reason for caution and selective generosity or selective obedience.

The Light of the World

Light is an oft-used metaphor in the scriptures.  In particular, Jesus is often described as the source of light. For example, in John 8:

  12 ¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

or in D&C 93:

  2 And that I am the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world;

In comparing Jesus as a source of light to the sun as a source of light something interesting occurred to me.

Light from the sun includes all of the colors of the spectrum. When that light hits an object, like the apple in the picture on the right, the color of the object that we see is determined by the light that is reflected. Thus an apple appears red because it reflects red light. The apple does not shine with it's own light, rather, it shines with the light that it is able to reflect because of its own properties.

Similar to the literal light of the sun, Jesus is the source of all that is light, or good, in the world. His light shines on all of creation. Because of Jesus we do not have to walk in darkness. We can see the way through life as we work to return to our Father in Heaven.

Continuing the analogy, we have been commanded to be a light to others. For example, in 3 Nephi 12 Jesus commands:

  14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

Yet, as we saw in D&C 93: 2, Jesus is the true light that lights everyone in the world. I suspect that the way we can be a light to the world is to reflect Jesus' light. Like the apple, our color is determined by our characteristics. We can only reflect the portion of the full spectrum of Jesus' light that is part of who we are. For example, if Jesus is the source of love that is manifest in kindness to others, we can only reflect that light if we are becoming a loving person. If Jesus is the source of learning through the scriptures, we can only reflect that light if we love the scriptures.

The metaphor of Jesus as the source of light and us as reflectors of that light suggests that who we really are is made evident by which Christ-like characteristics are visible in us. After all, just as red light only reflects from things that are red, Christ-like characteristics are only visible when His light reflects off of people who have those characteristics.

With this imagery in mind, several verses in D&C 93 are interesting: 

  31 Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.

  32 And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation.

The best use of our agency is to be transformed by Jesus Christ so that His light can shine as it is reflected in our lives.  Then, we become part of the invitation to all people to come unto Christ.