"The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth."
Doctrine and Covenants 93:36
Sometimes I think we don't see how cool this is. We think, oh, yeah... IQs are all well and good, but they aren't everything. But when God says intelligence he doesn't mean our mundane and very fallible way of measuring intellectual power or knowledge, and although he probably includes what we're measuring in the definition (D&C 130:19 tells us that the more knowledge and intelligence we gain in this life, the better off we will be after this life), he doesn't mean only that, or even mostly, since we only measure one kind of intelligence. In Abraham 3:22-23 it tells us that we were intelligences before we were born... that intelligence is another word for the soul or spirit... for consciousness. And light and truth are complex topics as well. In Alma 32:35 we learn that "whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible." Earlier in this same section we read "And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come." So, just from those few examples, we see that this idea is bigger than the idea of whoever is smarter or who gets more education wins. We've now introduced the ideas of openness, discernibility, things that are well lit and not hidden, and we've added in *all* truth. Not just getting a degree or things we pass off as knowledge but then learn later were big mistakes. :) Truth... discernible truth. Shining a light on everything. Things that have happened, are happening, and WILL happen. That's a lot... and pretty incredible to think about. We're definitely beyond Stanford-Binet here. D&C 50:23-25 tells us "that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness," "he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light," and that truth chases away darkness.
I think all of this kind of illustrates how huge this idea is... that what we are gaining in this life and seeking after isn't just a high IQ or a degree. It isn't just a well-lit room, or a hard-earned truth. The glory of God is all of it together combined into a gloriously bright perfect ball of everything true and real and alive. God knows all of it, everywhere. Nothing is hid from him... he sees the truth of everything, and of all time. Truth is shiny and never dark, and God's is so shiny we can't even look at him. :) Today, let's really look at our lives and what we're encountering. Let's embrace the truth, wherever we find it. Let's celebrate intelligence and life. And let's shine, and outdo the darkness.
Doctrine and Covenants 93:36
Sometimes I think we don't see how cool this is. We think, oh, yeah... IQs are all well and good, but they aren't everything. But when God says intelligence he doesn't mean our mundane and very fallible way of measuring intellectual power or knowledge, and although he probably includes what we're measuring in the definition (D&C 130:19 tells us that the more knowledge and intelligence we gain in this life, the better off we will be after this life), he doesn't mean only that, or even mostly, since we only measure one kind of intelligence. In Abraham 3:22-23 it tells us that we were intelligences before we were born... that intelligence is another word for the soul or spirit... for consciousness. And light and truth are complex topics as well. In Alma 32:35 we learn that "whatsoever is light, is good, because it is discernible." Earlier in this same section we read "And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come." So, just from those few examples, we see that this idea is bigger than the idea of whoever is smarter or who gets more education wins. We've now introduced the ideas of openness, discernibility, things that are well lit and not hidden, and we've added in *all* truth. Not just getting a degree or things we pass off as knowledge but then learn later were big mistakes. :) Truth... discernible truth. Shining a light on everything. Things that have happened, are happening, and WILL happen. That's a lot... and pretty incredible to think about. We're definitely beyond Stanford-Binet here. D&C 50:23-25 tells us "that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness," "he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light," and that truth chases away darkness.
I think all of this kind of illustrates how huge this idea is... that what we are gaining in this life and seeking after isn't just a high IQ or a degree. It isn't just a well-lit room, or a hard-earned truth. The glory of God is all of it together combined into a gloriously bright perfect ball of everything true and real and alive. God knows all of it, everywhere. Nothing is hid from him... he sees the truth of everything, and of all time. Truth is shiny and never dark, and God's is so shiny we can't even look at him. :) Today, let's really look at our lives and what we're encountering. Let's embrace the truth, wherever we find it. Let's celebrate intelligence and life. And let's shine, and outdo the darkness.
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