Mr. Miyagi & learning from Our Father in Heaven


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Don't really know how to word this, but the thought rolls around in my little brain.

Heavenly Father training / requiring us to live by faith seems a lot like Mr. Miyagi from the Karate Kid sometimes. We do things by faith. Not seeing and perhaps not having a real understanding of why or how. Here is a small conversation from Karate Kid:

Daniel: So? So, you're supposed to teach and I'm supposed to learn! For 4 days I've been bustin' my "rear", and haven't learned a thing! 
Miyagi: You learn plenty. 
Daniel: I learn plenty, yeah, I learned how to sand your decks maybe. I washed your car, paint your house, paint your fence. I learn plenty! 
Miyagi: Ah, not everything is as seems... 

I often think about the many wonders our Father in Heaven has in store for us if we would just learn to trust him without always asking why?, how come?, I don't get it?, I learned nothing, etc. 
Almost like some of the glorious wonders he wants to share with us, he simply can not until we have learned to have complete trust in him first. Like he needs us at a "just do it" level. Not a think and ponder all day about it, but simply just "trust me" level. 

Make sense?? Anyone phrase this better?

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Guest LiterateParakeet

I love it. That is something I have thought a lot about lately. We'll not Mr. Miyagi, but that idea just the same. 

I love your analogy. It's a great way to explain the idea in a nut shell...for kids and adults...that we are but as children and can't see all that Heavenly Father is doing or planning for us. And Heavenly Father is even more mysterious than Mr. Miyagi sometimes!

Edited by LiterateParakeet
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Well, Adam's story at the altar says this is so.  But it also teaches us that we are not meant to remain in that condition.  The hope is that as we do, we begin to understand (if any man shall do his will...).  Doing is fine.  But doing without wondering would just be blindness.  That's not what the Lord wants for us.  It would be more profitable if we look for meaning in all things as we do them.  Having faith in the Lord's commandments also means recognizing that he gives no commandments without reason.  We should be looking for the reasons.

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3 hours ago, Carborendum said:

We should be looking for the reasons.

I love understanding reasons when they are available. I love searching, hunting for and digging up reasons. This is a major factor why I love being here and reading everyone's thoughts. Reasons are good. Given enough time, perhaps we can search out the reasons. The flip side is some folks only wait to obey once or if they are given the reason behind the commandment/doctrine. If they can never figure out the "reason", then they might ignore the command or disagree with the doctrine. While it would be nice to have reasons given to us on all matters of doctrine, we know that is not a reality right now. 

I think of my comments regarding the "just do it" and simply "trust him" similar to the kid about to put his hand on the hot stove. In the moment his hand is mid air swinging towards the hot stove, the parent has enough time to yell, "Don't do that!". The parent hasn't explained the reasoning at that point. 

The child can either:
a. Simply trust the parent and obey
or
b. Continue his hand motion and make contact with the hot stove

The parent isn't wanting to withhold the reason, but given the lack of time (immediate danger) or lack of the child's comprehension level the reason isn't given. Putting into perspective our minuscule understanding of anything in comparison to HF, I'm sure an attitude of "I will blindly obey" is better than "I'll wait for a reason" first. 

I realize you were not saying this Carb, I'm just adding some additional thoughts.;)

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True, I was not saying that, but that concept is included in the point I was making.

  1. Your premise (I believe) was that sometimes the Lord tells us to do something even when we don't fully understand His reasons for it. -- This I agree with.
  2. I also perceive that you were saying that obedience without understanding is a necessary part of learning. -- I also agree with this.
  3. My point was that it cannot stop there.  Either we figure it out, or the Lord reveals it to us (as he did to Adam).

The beginning is often fraught with lack of understanding because we simply can't understand.  Experience is the greatest teacher.  And we are to learn through experience.

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