Getting Rid of the Mote

[Guest Username-Removed]

Matt. 7: 3-5

3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

Definition: MOTE - speck, chip, or splinter.

Definition: BEAM - The Greek word refers to a wooden beam used in constructing houses.

The scripture is often used in meaning do not judge thy brother because the tiny piece of wood you see in his eye, is simply obstructed by the beam in yours. So if we are to work on removing our own mote for the means of self improvement, what is it we can do?

In the Ensign Article, “Today is the Time”, Elder Walter F. González said …

“our exposure to doctrine and its principles will continue to be enhanced if we also hearken to the Lord’s admonition about bad influences. It is very likely that there are people who pressure us to act or think in a way such that future quakes will find us inappropriately prepared. Regarding this, the Savior gave us a key which will help us better prepare today for the coming vicissitudes. He said, “Therefore, if thy hand offend thee, cut it off; or if thy brother offend thee and confess not and forsake not, he shall be cut off” (Joseph Smith Translation, Mark 9:40). Fortunately, the Savior Himself taught the meaning of cutting off our hand. It’s not about self-mutilation but rather about removing from our lives today those influences that keep us from preparing for tomorrow’s earthquakes. If I have friends who are bad influences for me, the advice is clear: “It is better for thee to enter into life without thy brother, than for thee and thy brother to be cast into hell” (Joseph Smith Translation, Mark 9:41). The Lord applied this same principle when warning Nephi to depart from his brethren who became a dangerous influence (see 2 Nephi 5:5). It follows that such cutting off refers not only to friends but to every bad influence, such as inappropriate television shows, Internet sites, movies, literature, games, or music. Engraving in our souls this principle will help us to resist the temptation to yield to any bad influence.”

In my opinion, this article has meaning for me because is helps me to understand why I need to be influenced by good things so that there is no mote in my eye. Upon further study, an article by Elder Dallin H. Oaks “Good, Better, Best” states

“As we consider various choices, we should remember that it is not enough that something is good. Other choices are better, and still others are best. Even though a particular choice is more costly, its far greater value may make it the best choice of all. Consider how we use our time in the choices we make in viewing television, laying video games, surfing the Internet, or reading books or magazines. Of course it is good to view wholesome entertainment or to obtain interesting information. But not everything of that sort is worth the portion of our life we give to obtain it. Some things are better, and others are best. When the Lord told us to seek learning, He said, “Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom” (D&C 88:118; emphasis added)."

Further, to know what to spend time on can be given by the Holy Ghost. In the article from the Ensign, by Elder Keith K. Hilbig, “Quench Not the Spirit Which Quickens the Inner Man”, He writes …

“Each of us knew that the journey to exaltation would be long, strenuous, and sometimes lonely, but we also knew that we would not travel alone. Heavenly Father provides all who fulfill the prerequisites of faith, repentance, and baptism with a companion and guide, the Holy Ghost. The path to eternal life is not on a plateau. Rather, it is an incline, ever onward and upward. Hence, ever-increasing spiritual understanding and energy are required to reach our destination. Because the pernicious opposition by Satan continues, the continuous enlightened guidance of the Holy Ghost is absolutely essential. We dare not hinder, disregard, or quench the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Yet when it comes to drawing upon the promptings and the blessings which flow from the Holy Ghost, we often “live far beneath our privileges. Do you wish to know the price to be paid for the privileges that are offered after we have received the Holy Ghost? The price is not a predetermined or fixed amount; rather, it is determined by each of us individually. If you set your payment, which is your personal effort, very low, you may not be able to avail yourself of all the Spirit has to offer. You may even quench the Spirit! However, if you set your personal contribution high, you will reap an abundant harvest from the Spirit. The payment I reference is, of course, not money; rather, it is a greater commitment to and involvement in personal spiritual endeavors and behaviors. We determine the level of our current personal contribution by examining our present choices and priorities against questions such as these:

· 1. Do I spend more time with sports than Church attendance or callings?

· 2. If I have a free day, do I choose to attend the temple or to visit the mall?

· 3. Do I resort to computer games or surfing the Internet rather than offering meaningful service to others in my home and community?

· 4. Do I read the newspaper religiously but find it difficult to read the scriptures daily? “

“Whatever level of spiritual development each of us may presently have, there always exists a higher level within our reach. Time is a most precious asset. Would you consider investing more of your time in the things of eternity in order to merit the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost and to benefit more fully from His influence? If your answer is yes, the initial offering in this pursuit of deeper spirituality is an intensified desire to receive greater inspiration and to become more holy. When these desires fill our hearts, we will eagerly increase the price we pay for heaven’s help. “

To me, these references are key to understanding the concept of spiritual growth, and learning how to remove the mote which hinders what we see, and how we act.

Opinions?

[sixpacktr]

Very good post Word. And this is along the lines of what I thought about 'cutting off a hand' or 'removing my own beam'.

We had some Temple Service missionaries visit our branch today to speak, and the brother brought up a little couplet that Elder Hales mentioned sometime: when you want to speak to the Lord, you pray; when you want to listen to the Lord, you read the scriptures. I like this thought process, because most of us will never have the Alma or Paul experience of a sudden visitation, be told to 'knock it off' and have that sudden, complete change of heart. Our process is usually much more gradual, with some bursts of insight and change, but slow nonetheless.

If we are praying and reading, we will first get rid of the big beams in our eyes, or cut of the hands that are keeping us down, but as we grow in spirit (are converted) we will be getting rid of the fingers and then fingernails, or the motes out of our eyes, such as spending time doing the better and then the best things instead of just the good (Elder Oaks talk). Then our conversion begins to be more complete, we become more that 'man of Christ' that has complete trust in God, and we are better able to help our neighbors up, not in a condescending way, but more in a loving and 'I've been there, I know how hard it is, but you can learn from my mistakes' type of way. As this brother put it, first the Lord takes 40 grit sandpaper to our souls, then works up to 80 and so on and finally, when we are truly humble and penitent, works up to the 1000 grit paper, and it polishing us rather than taking off huge corners. Then we are living the higher law, and the Lord blesses us because he has to because we are obedient in all things.

[Guest Username-Removed]

SixP,

I like you line of thought - More along the lines that it takes time to get to the polishing phase, as we go through the rough stages first. Hmmm ...

More thinking to do ...

[PapilioMemnon]

Excellent thread!!!

We need to fill our Spirits with the best things, and the Lord's things are on top of all of them! They are the best tools to help us remove the beams out of our eyes so that we can see. See whom? Ourselves before Him; our condition & state before the Lord.

Then we qualify to assist others to see as well.

The explanation of Mark 9:40 is crystal clear; we must make choices wisely! We should not allow our feelings to determine who we hang out, are friends with, and especially, marry! We must regard all, but we must make choices that will not compromise/jeopardize our commitment to the Lord; He will then protect & guide us!

I loved the talk about Good, Better, and Best by President Utchdorf!

[Guest Username-Removed]

Maybe thats why we have three degrees of glory? We are separated, or rather separate ourselves, because of the differences in the way we grow, how we grow, when we grow???? Just thinking outloud here.

Also, how do we balance missionary word, which is always putting us in contact with non-believers, and doctrine other than our own, with our own personal progress?

Also, when one reaches a higher spiritual level, would one be more likely to be more sensitive to things like swearing, bad music, etc? If so, how do we counter those?

[sixpacktr]

Each of us has the same potential and the same chances are making it to the CK. But as you say, Word, we 'separate ourselves' of our own free will and go down the paths that make up our life. For some, the strait and narrow path is 'easy' (or rather, the one they want to go down, no matter what), for others, they like to take some detours but end back up where they should be, and then there are those that would rather got thru the brambles than be told what to do. But the fact is: as long as they are breathing, they have a chance to repent and get back on the strait and narrow. As I get older, I come to realize more and more that other's lives and choices aren't up to me (including my children's choices), and that I have absolutely no right to judge them or their life. Now, that doesn't mean I condone the actions, but it does mean that I love them unconditionally, help them when they want it, and leave the rest up to them and God.

We have a recent convert in our branch that has lived a pretty tough life up to now, including using drugs. She is struggling, obviously, and hasn't been to church in a while. I have heard comments that she did it for the church welfare, etc., but I don't know her motives. What I do know, or feel rather, is that she was touched by the Spirit, did have a fledgling testimony of JS and that this is Christ's church. However, the lure of drugs is something I cannot comprehend, and I think she goes back from time to time. My job, however, is not to cast aspersions or question motives, but rather to help her where I can while not losing myself in the mess of her life (does that make sense? I'm thinking along the lines of the Savior's admonition to the 12 when he sent them out on missions to be harmless as doves but wise as serpents).

If I take the beam out of my eye (false judgement or rather judgement based upon incomplete information) to more clearly see her mote (as an example) I will have the pure love of Christ to help me see clearly what she needs and thereby help her overcome or remove that mote (the 40 grit sandpaper) from her. And I in turn get a little more of the polishing.

We hear of 'win-win' all of the time, but the gospel of Jesus Christ truly is based upon that. As we help others, we polish ourselves and become more like Christ. As Pres Benson said: the gospel of Jesus Christ makes bad men good, and good men better.

[Flyonthewall]

Here and I thought this was going to be about turning the TV off!

[Guest Username-Removed]

Each of us has the same potential and the same chances are making it to the CK. But as you say, Word, we 'separate ourselves' of our own free will and go down the paths that make up our life. For some, the strait and narrow path is 'easy' (or rather, the one they want to go down, no matter what), for others, they like to take some detours but end back up where they should be, and then there are those that would rather got thru the brambles than be told what to do. But the fact is: as long as they are breathing, they have a chance to repent and get back on the strait and narrow. As I get older, I come to realize more and more that other's lives and choices aren't up to me (including my children's choices), and that I have absolutely no right to judge them or their life. Now, that doesn't mean I condone the actions, but it does mean that I love them unconditionally, help them when they want it, and leave the rest up to them and God.

We have a recent convert in our branch that has lived a pretty tough life up to now, including using drugs. She is struggling, obviously, and hasn't been to church in a while. I have heard comments that she did it for the church welfare, etc., but I don't know her motives. What I do know, or feel rather, is that she was touched by the Spirit, did have a fledgling testimony of JS and that this is Christ's church. However, the lure of drugs is something I cannot comprehend, and I think she goes back from time to time. My job, however, is not to cast aspersions or question motives, but rather to help her where I can while not losing myself in the mess of her life (does that make sense? I'm thinking along the lines of the Savior's admonition to the 12 when he sent them out on missions to be harmless as doves but wise as serpents).

If I take the beam out of my eye (false judgement or rather judgement based upon incomplete information) to more clearly see her mote (as an example) I will have the pure love of Christ to help me see clearly what she needs and thereby help her overcome or remove that mote (the 40 grit sandpaper) from her. And I in turn get a little more of the polishing.

We hear of 'win-win' all of the time, but the gospel of Jesus Christ truly is based upon that. As we help others, we polish ourselves and become more like Christ. As Pres Benson said: the gospel of Jesus Christ makes bad men good, and good men better.

SixP,

Thanks. This is something that I struggle with and probably why I was prompted to write this post. The concept of Brotherly love and Unconditional Love, or the Pure of Christ I understand at least to a degree. Understanding the love of the Father, in letting his son Jesus Christ suffer in Gethsemane and eventually die on the cross; it’s nearly beyond my grasp. Yet I need to understand it in order to comprehend events such as you spoke of - helping someone with a drug problem - or even sustaining someone who I don’t really like. I guess it seems childish that I should be concerned about how others treat me in the world, when I don’t hold a candle to the amount unconditional love the Father or the Son has had towards human kind. We are undeserving of that love. I guess that's why they call it unconditional love. I guess that takes a lot of patience.

hmmmm - more to think about

[Guest Username-Removed]

I'm thinking along the lines of the Savior's admonition to the 12 when he sent them out on missions to be harmless as doves but wise as serpents

There, thats what I am looking for. That makes sense to me because I think with the guidance of the spirit anyways, we should know men's hearts, and be able to act (or be wise) so that they cant harm us.

She is struggling, obviously, and hasn't been to church in a while. I have heard comments that she did it for the church welfare, etc., but I don't know her motives. What I do know, or feel rather, is that she was touched by the Spirit, did have a fledgling testimony of JS and that this is Christ's church. However, the lure of drugs is something I cannot comprehend, and I think she goes back from time to time.

Well, in the past I have had quite a few friends that had drug problems. What you'll want to watch for is when they crash. For some, its time in jail, for others its a loss of a job or career. The list is long. Unfortunately, some never really know when they crash. I had a friend was in a coma for two weeks. Such a tragedy. Its hard for me even to talk about today, even though it was years and years ago. His brain damage permenently changed his personality, for the worse. Im not sure how that will turn out.

[Guest Username-Removed]

Ensign, by Elder Keith K. Hilbig, “Quench Not the Spirit Which Quickens the Inner Man”, He writes …

“Because the pernicious opposition by Satan continues, the continuous enlightened guidance of the Holy Ghost is absolutely essential. We dare not hinder, disregard, or quench the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Yet when it comes to drawing upon the promptings and the blessings which flow from the Holy Ghost, we often “live far beneath our privileges". "

I wanted to requote this because I thought it was important. I wonder how many of us, myself included, have in our life "Live(d) far beneath our privileges"

Perhaps this gives us insight on how some of the gospel works. Even when we do dumb things, stray momentarily, or miss promptings to do something, yet we expect answers from him for even the most trivial things - and he gives them anyways.

[sixpacktr]

I gotta remember that. D&C 82:10: I the Lord am bound...

We forfeit so much because we decide to do things our way and forget the Lord. We have every right to have the spirit and guidance if we will do what we are supposed to do. Thanks for that reminder.