Guidelines for Life – Sunday, May 22, 1983
When we think of the Savior’s importance in our lives, we realize that His teachings are as relevant today as they were nearly 2,000 years ago.
He asks us to keep His commandments—to be faithful, but not fanatical. He wants us to be obedient, but more importantly, He wants us to examine our motives. He tells us not to conduct ourselves merely for show and the praise of man.
He warns us that the time of greatest success can be the time of greatest danger. He knows that pride is often a stumbling block in keeping the commandments. Ironically, when we are successful and things are going our way, we may be tempted to believe we’ve done it all ourselves.
C.S. Lewis observed that one of the dangers of having money is that we may be quite satisfied with the kinds of happiness money can give, and so we fail to realize our need for God. He says that “if everything seems to come simply by signing checks, we may forget we are at every moment really dependent on God.”1 Lewis says natural gifts carry a similar danger. If we have intelligence and health and popularity, we are likely to be quite satisfied with our character as it is, and not make God part of our lives.
The Savior tells us not to place too much value on material things because they are temporary and transitory. The message is simple: if the joy we find is not permanent, then it’s made of the wrong stuff.
The law of Christ is the law of inner perfection—overcoming weaknesses, motivating ourselves to higher performance. Basic strength comes from obedience, but higher strength comes from inner perfection—perfection of thought and motive, getting the heart in tune.
Norman Vincent Peale says he doesn’t believe anyone can be emotionally healthy without a sound and vital faith in God: “If you have the feeling that your life has no meaning, you’re in a pretty dire way, because that’s really a mental and spiritual illness.”2 We need to walk with God and seek His guidance. If we do that, we’ll have victories over problems and gain new insights into our lives.
And we’ll be more apt to feel as the words of the hymn suggest, “Jesus, the very thought of Thee…with sweetness fills my breast…Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame, Nor can the memory find…A sweeter sound than Thy blest name, O Savior of mankind.”3
1 CS Lewis “Beyond Personality,” Mere Christianity, Macmillan Publishing Co Inc, 1976 p 180
2 Gerry Avant “Peale Lauds Return to Religious Values, “Deseret News. Church News, April 24, 1983, p 5
3 Hymn Book, The Corporation of the President, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, p 148
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May 22, 1983
Broadcast Number 2,805