"Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh."
Luke 6:21
This is an interesting verse, especially as it contrasts with a later verse, Luke 6:25, which says "Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep." To me, this seems like the warning that we shouldn't claim that all is well in Zion (2 Nephi 28:21)... because all is not well, and we need to recognize our shortcomings, and continue to improve.
If we see the lack in our lives, then we can work at it, and look forward to the day when every emptiness will be filled. But if we assume that we are complete, that we've reached the ideal or the pinnacle of our self-development, then we have reason to mourn, because we will eventually realize that unfortunately we aren't in fact all that, and realize (perhaps too late) that we are incomplete.
Today, let's recognize our imperfection, as individuals, as families, as groups, and as society as a whole... and let's not mourn because of our weaknesses. Let's rejoice that God has shown us our weaknesses so that we can work on them and overcome them, because that is much, much better than thinking that we have none. :)
Let's look to God, and allow him to help us learn to be filled and whole, and to be strong and happy... not because we are ignoring our problems, but because we have learned to solve them.
Luke 6:21
This is an interesting verse, especially as it contrasts with a later verse, Luke 6:25, which says "Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep." To me, this seems like the warning that we shouldn't claim that all is well in Zion (2 Nephi 28:21)... because all is not well, and we need to recognize our shortcomings, and continue to improve.
If we see the lack in our lives, then we can work at it, and look forward to the day when every emptiness will be filled. But if we assume that we are complete, that we've reached the ideal or the pinnacle of our self-development, then we have reason to mourn, because we will eventually realize that unfortunately we aren't in fact all that, and realize (perhaps too late) that we are incomplete.
Today, let's recognize our imperfection, as individuals, as families, as groups, and as society as a whole... and let's not mourn because of our weaknesses. Let's rejoice that God has shown us our weaknesses so that we can work on them and overcome them, because that is much, much better than thinking that we have none. :)
Let's look to God, and allow him to help us learn to be filled and whole, and to be strong and happy... not because we are ignoring our problems, but because we have learned to solve them.
It seems like some of our earthly goals are to have things work "smoothly" for us in terms of life, with our jobs, comfort, relationships, happiness, avoidance of problems, etc. We value having something to eat and being in situations that are relatively problem free.
ReplyDeleteBut this isn't how it always is, and it isn't how it is for so, so many people.
I wonder if we should count our 'negative' experiences as a blessing, instead of how me might tend to react to them. If we looked differently at hunger, misfortune, unfairness, or other things that happen in our own lives that are antithetical to the tendency we have towards comfort and ease, perhaps it would benefit us and, in turn, others. Perhaps we should consider it a blessing to go through trials that will help us to appreciate those who are truly the meek of the earth.
I agree that we should work on those things, our imperfection, the lack in our lives, and make things better. We should improve ourselves, and while we do that, we can consider how we can best become an instrument for good, for others who just have no ability to be satiated, and no capability to laugh. We can become the good in this world, and we do that by becoming better, and understanding those who are truly meek by necessity.
Good points. :) Thanks for stopping by. :)
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