“Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their reward.” (D&C 58: 27-28)
"With great power comes great responsibility." -Uncle Ben Parker (You know...the Ben Parker)
Tomorrow we celebrate yet another triumph in the continuing struggle for individual liberty: American Independence Day (bust out the corn dogs and cue the fireworks)! We celebrate the privilege of charting our own destiny through the accumulation of our own decisions and their attendant consequences. Is there anything more invigorating and soul-stirring than the realization that we truly are the “masters of our fates,” the “captains of our souls?” (Invictus, William Ernest Henley)
Conversely, is there anything more enervating and soul-shaking than the pain of watching our loved ones exercising their liberty to reach poor decisions and their inescapable punishments?
We sometimes make the mistake of assuming that the same free agency we credit with all the self-empowering liberty in our own lives renders us paradoxically powerless to change the negative in those we love. A child's apathy towards school, a friend's weakening conviction in Christianity, a husband's professional discouragement, a new mother's postpartum depression, an overweight sibling's poor eating habits...all seem beyond our power to influence.
Yet we are commanded to “lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees.” (Hebrews 12:12) We are encouraged to “let our light so shine” that our loved ones might glorify our Heavenly Father through our example. (Matthew 5:16) We are told (twice) that “the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband.” (1 Corinthians 7:14; D&C 74:1) Why is it that individual liberty, an intensely personal thing, is exercised in such an intimately interpersonal mortality? Truly we are our neighbor's keeper, all the more so in the case of our loved ones to whom we owe our “sacred support.” (Alma 44:5)
Ultimately, we cannot force them, or anyone, to change for the better unless they choose to do so. But to assume we cannot influence or ennoble their choices through our own edifying presence, refined bearing, consistent character, vocal encouragement, and selfless nurturing is to deny the divine spark within every upright man and gracious woman. It is to deny the power within us as children of God: living, breathing, walking reflections of his luminary love.
And nowadays He has blessed us with more tools than ever to uplift those around us with that reflected love. Email, social networks, text messages, and the miracles of modern communication all allow us to reach out to spouses, children, parents, siblings, friends and neighbors when they need us most. Each of these media has their place in our efforts to guide and safeguard in selfless love the liberty of our fellow man, but can any of them truly replace the power of in-person attention and affection?
Of course, in-person anything is less efficient. It takes a bit more time. But true liberty is not concerned with the self-centered maintenance of “disposable time” for its own sake. True liberty is about choosing freely to whom we devote that time. So if you have so much to good to give, so much righteous influence to help guide your loved ones' decisions, and such a limited mortal span in which to do it...maybe it's time to log off for today.
"With great power comes great responsibility." -Uncle Ben Parker (You know...the Ben Parker)
Tomorrow we celebrate yet another triumph in the continuing struggle for individual liberty: American Independence Day (bust out the corn dogs and cue the fireworks)! We celebrate the privilege of charting our own destiny through the accumulation of our own decisions and their attendant consequences. Is there anything more invigorating and soul-stirring than the realization that we truly are the “masters of our fates,” the “captains of our souls?” (Invictus, William Ernest Henley)
Conversely, is there anything more enervating and soul-shaking than the pain of watching our loved ones exercising their liberty to reach poor decisions and their inescapable punishments?
We sometimes make the mistake of assuming that the same free agency we credit with all the self-empowering liberty in our own lives renders us paradoxically powerless to change the negative in those we love. A child's apathy towards school, a friend's weakening conviction in Christianity, a husband's professional discouragement, a new mother's postpartum depression, an overweight sibling's poor eating habits...all seem beyond our power to influence.
Yet we are commanded to “lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees.” (Hebrews 12:12) We are encouraged to “let our light so shine” that our loved ones might glorify our Heavenly Father through our example. (Matthew 5:16) We are told (twice) that “the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband.” (1 Corinthians 7:14; D&C 74:1) Why is it that individual liberty, an intensely personal thing, is exercised in such an intimately interpersonal mortality? Truly we are our neighbor's keeper, all the more so in the case of our loved ones to whom we owe our “sacred support.” (Alma 44:5)
Ultimately, we cannot force them, or anyone, to change for the better unless they choose to do so. But to assume we cannot influence or ennoble their choices through our own edifying presence, refined bearing, consistent character, vocal encouragement, and selfless nurturing is to deny the divine spark within every upright man and gracious woman. It is to deny the power within us as children of God: living, breathing, walking reflections of his luminary love.
And nowadays He has blessed us with more tools than ever to uplift those around us with that reflected love. Email, social networks, text messages, and the miracles of modern communication all allow us to reach out to spouses, children, parents, siblings, friends and neighbors when they need us most. Each of these media has their place in our efforts to guide and safeguard in selfless love the liberty of our fellow man, but can any of them truly replace the power of in-person attention and affection?
Of course, in-person anything is less efficient. It takes a bit more time. But true liberty is not concerned with the self-centered maintenance of “disposable time” for its own sake. True liberty is about choosing freely to whom we devote that time. So if you have so much to good to give, so much righteous influence to help guide your loved ones' decisions, and such a limited mortal span in which to do it...maybe it's time to log off for today.
No comments:
Post a Comment