Not Realizing The Bigger Picture

[LionHeart]

I think one of the biggest problems in the world is the fact that people fail to realize the bigger picture. The Saviour tells us: Store not up for yourselves treasures of this world, but store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven."

Although a simple phrase, and very easily understood, I don't think people, for the most part, fully realize the principle being referred to here.

There is a realization that everyone must come to who wants to gain their salvation in the highest degree. They must realize that nothing on this earth is of any real value. The only thing that matters here is that we absolutely serve the Lord in all things. For example, you feel like you have been cheated out of some money. Does it effect your salvation any wether or not you get that money back? On the other hand, does it effect your salvation if you allow yourself to get angry with the person who allegedly cheated you? This lifetime is less than a microscopic spec compared to the eternity we create for ourselves while we are here. When one comes to a more full realization of this fact, he will see two children fighting over a toy and it will be almost confusing to him for a moment. And he will begin to ask himself, "Why are they doing this to themselves? Don't they know......" and then he stops, and remembers, "No... they don't know". But like faith, this realization must be nurtured, or it will be lost.

Now when we see two people fighting, we can ask ourselves "why are they fighting?" The answer will be, in all cases, money, love, posessions, or opinions. You will see businessmen bickering over money, or children fighting for a toy, (a posession) and you will always find people killing each other over love, and you find people arguing everywhere over a difference of opinion. In all cases, it all boils down to one thing: Selfishness. In every case, the bickering parties are concerned about themselves. So when we put it all together, when we think of ourselves, that is when we store up treasures of this world; when we thing of others and of God, that is when we store up for ourselves treasures in heaven. One might ask: "If we do good works to gain salvation for ourselves, is that not being selfish?" The answer to this would be no. Because firstly, our success in gaining our salvation, glorifies God. Secondly, one of the requirements for gaining salvation is in loving our neighbor. If we truly love our neighbor, we will help him in any way possible. When a person attains to the point of being worthy of salvation, they got there not through selfishness, but through unselfishness. It would be impossible for a man to attain to that point for the sole purpose of selfishly gaining salvation, because a person with only theirself on their mind also has their heart set on things of the world. And they will not think salvation is worth all of the effort they must put forth on the behalf of others. In other words, you must be too unselfish for the selfish man to gain salvation.

Definately something to consider.

[Setheus]

The more a man knows, the more he forgives.

[jiggypoo]

"The only thing that matters here is that we absolutely serve the Lord in all things. "

Well, I disagree - kind of - on this phrase. Yea, the point is to serve God in all things - about HOW this is done is REALLY the crux of the whole point of life. We can't serve God if our self-interest is not guided by unconditional love for those (all those) around us. This life is to learn to USE self-interest for the good and welfare of those around us while keeping in check the selfish tendencies of self-interest (yes, self-interest and selfishness are seperate).

I've come to this conclusion: if we fail to learn to love each other unconditionally, no amount of "good works" will earn us the reward because we have selfishly sought it. Good works are in vain if they are done for personal gain or glory. It is selfishness that kills the golden goose!

So, let us learn that we can use our self-interest for the betterment of others - and that this needs to come through genuine love for them. Only God is the great Giver of this type of love, and so we must first seek him, become reconsiled, and then petition God to infuse within us this unconditional love!

[LionHeart]

"The only thing that matters here is that we absolutely serve the Lord in all things. "

Well, I disagree - kind of - on this phrase. Yea, the point is to serve God in all things - about HOW this is done is REALLY the crux of the whole point of life. We can't serve God if our self-interest is not guided by unconditional love for those (all those) around us. This life is to learn to USE self-interest for the good and welfare of those around us while keeping in check the selfish tendencies of self-interest (yes, self-interest and selfishness are seperate).

You are defenitely right about this. However I don't think you are in disagreement with this phrase as much as you may think.

Jesus said "Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, might, mind, and strength. This is the greatest commandment. And the second one is like unto it; love thy neighbor as thyself."

So loving those around us unconditionally, would fall into the category of abloutely serving the Lord in all things. By serving each other, we serve God.

[Guest sugarbay]

Originally posted by jiggypoo@Dec 16 2005, 09:46 AM

"The only thing that matters here is that we absolutely serve the Lord in all things. "

Well, I disagree - kind of - on this phrase.  Yea, the point is to serve God in all things - about HOW this is done is REALLY the crux of the whole point of life.  We can't serve God if our self-interest is not guided by unconditional love for those (all those) around us.  This life is to learn to USE self-interest for the good and welfare of those around us while keeping in check the selfish tendencies of self-interest (yes, self-interest and selfishness are seperate). 

I've come to this conclusion:  if we fail to learn to love each other unconditionally, no amount of "good works" will earn us the reward because we have selfishly sought it.  Good works are in vain if they are done for personal gain or glory.  It is selfishness that kills the golden goose!

So, let us learn that we can use our self-interest for the betterment of others - and that this needs to come through genuine love for them.  Only God is the great Giver of this type of love, and so we must first seek him, become reconsiled, and then petition God to infuse within us this unconditional love!

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Well said.. When he said to follow him he wasn't just talking about down the beach...we are to follow his example in ALL things. This is how we learn the true love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. When all else fails go to the doppler James 2: 17-26. All else is so much cerebral succotash.

B)

[glindakc]

in agreement w/ lionheart, loving others is loving and doing service to our god. he wants us to bring as many children unto him as possible. we can do this through our unconditional love or through our example of service to the lord. really, they are the same thing, just different examples.

[jiggypoo]

I think the point I tried to make has been missed. It isn't that serving God is the point. It is HOW that is done. See, in my ward, we don't teach that the heart and one's intent is the great measuring stick. We are taught that our actions are the measuring stick. BUT THEY DON'T. Actions are misleading.

Where our self-interest is pointing is the WHOLE point of this. So what if I serve my fellow man if I do it to get glory or a "reward". It will do me no good. But if I serve my fellow man out of genuine unconditional love for him, I will naturally bring God glory and reward to my soul.

How genuine are we in our so-called charity? How honest and naked are we really before the Lord? Simply put, the answer Lionheart gave is the standard "church" reply - and that no longer holds the point, power or impact that it did in its younger years. We Mormons need to get it in our heads that it isn't about what works I do - it is about WHY we do those works.

[glindakc]

is there anything left to say about this? lol very nicely put. amen.

[Guest funkyfool416]

you can love and serve others and still be selfish...by helping yourself.

[glindakc]

but in this matter your intentions aren't to help others. our intentions to help others must be genuine - we need to love and serve them before ourselves. the lord knows our intentions. if it is for us to get gain, then i do agree that we are being greedy. but if we help others out of love for them and honestly putting them before ourselves, the lord is pleased with our work. it is our heart.

[LionHeart]

Jiggypoo,

You are right, it is not the works, but the motives for the works that counts. But I still don't think you are in disagreement with the statement "The only thing that matters here is that we absolutely serve the Lord in all things. " as you think you are. When the Lord judges us, he judges us for what is in our hearts and how we chose to act on that. So if we are to absolutely serve Him, we must be pure in heart. Here's a quote from the original post that might help clear it up a little.

"When a person attains to the point of being worthy of salvation, they got there not through selfishness, but through unselfishness. It would be impossible for a man to attain to that point for the sole purpose of selfishly gaining salvation, because a person with only their self on their mind also has their heart set on things of the world. And they will not think salvation is worth all of the effort they must put forth on the behalf of others. In other words, you must be too unselfish for the selfish man to gain salvation."

So in other words, if a person is helping their neighbor because he seeks the praise of man, he has his heart set on things of this world because the praise of man would fall into that category. If it is in his heart to help his neighbor out of true charity towards them, then he has his heart set on things of Heaven.

I would also like to comment on your statement

"It isn't that serving God is the point. It is HOW that is done. See, in my ward, we don't teach that the heart and one's intent is the great measuring stick. We are taught that our actions are the measuring stick. BUT THEY DON'T. Actions are misleading."

I believe this is very true. We have always heard that actions speak louder than words; which is true, however, motives seldom speak at all. If you have the words without the actions then you have a hypocrite. If you have the actions without charity, you have a secret hypocrite. This is where we must work on ourselves the most. To achieve self mastery of our actions is a valiant achievement. However, to achieve self mastery of ourself is eternal life.

I think the reason the Church teaches that our actions are the measuring stick may be the fact that an official organization must have an official measuring stick. Who is to say what is in someones heart when they are doing good works? There is no way to tell. Since most people can't read other peoples emotions, the best witness is the person in question. They will say what their intentions are, whether it's true or false, and who can argue? Unless there is evidence to expose them, everything else is arguable.

[jiggypoo]

It is true I do not disagree with your point. I think I approached the my empahsis incorrectly by stating I disagreed with it.