One of the purposes of
this life is to gain experience and knowledge.
We are in a constant process of learning about life as we make choices
and decisions every day. As children are
taught from the wisdom and experience of their parents, so we all should seek
wisdom from sources that provide us with an increase in knowledge and wisdom
and a greater perspective.
As I was sitting one
morning working on this letter I looked out of our front window and saw ducks
walking across the street. It was a
mother and four large children. They are
trying to find their way back to the canal of water that is about 100 feet
behind the houses on our street. First
they walk into the neighbors yard, then they walked next door and into the garage
to come out again a few minutes later. They went into the yard next to mine and
then finally came into our yard, trying to find a way through. I thought, “If
they keep going, they will go around the corner and find the canal easily.” But
then they crossed the street and went the wrong way. I am sure that eventually they found the way
home.
We are like these
ducks, wandering around the neighborhood trying to find the right way to
go. Sometimes, we don’t have the
perspective we need to find the best route and often our family or others are
following closely behind.
Isaiah explains that
the path that Heavenly Father would want us to take is not one that we can
easily understand. “For my thoughts are
not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my
thoughts than your thoughts.”[1]
I think that one of the
challenges of life is when we think we have a good perspective on where we are
going or what we are doing, but we really don’t. Even when we get older while we become much
wiser, there is still a lot we don’t know and can’t see. As we come to understand this lack of
perspective, we would increase our efforts to understand the bigger picture.
President Spencer W.
Kimball tells us that one way to expand our perspective is to follow our Father
in Heaven. “God does notice us, and he watches over us.” “The abundant life is
also achieved as we magnify our view of life, expand our view of others, and
our own possibilities. Thus the more we follow the teachings of the Master, the
more enlarged our perspective becomes.”[i]
Once I considered
purchasing a small local business. I had
the financial backing and was excited to look into the business further. I discussed the profitability and operations
with the owner in detail, and we were looking forward to purchasing the
business and helping it grow. Before purchasing
the business, I asked him to see his financial information. Surprisingly, he got frustrated and didn’t
want to talk any more. We prayed
intently about what we should do, and we felt that it was not the right
decision. Later, I learned that he had
borrowed against the business, hadn’t paid his bills in months and was on the
verge of bankruptcy. The Holy Ghost
helped us know that it would have been a mistake even before we knew the
details about the financial situation of this business. We may not have
understood the bigger picture, but Heavenly Father did.
Consider the following
story: “There's a small fly burning out
the last of its short life's energies in a futile attempt to fly through the
glass of the windowpane. The whining wings tell the poignant story of the fly's
strategy: Try harder.
But it's not working. The
frenzied effort offers no hope for survival. Ironically, the struggle is part
of the trap. It is impossible for the fly to try hard enough to succeed at
breaking through the glass. Nevertheless, this little insect has staked its
life on reaching its goal through raw effort and determination. This fly is
doomed. It will die there on the windowsill.
Across the room, ten
steps away, the door is open. Ten seconds of flying time and this small
creature could reach the outside world it seeks. With only a fraction of the
effort now being wasted, it could be free of this self-imposed trap. The
breakthrough possibility is there. It would be so easy.”[ii]
If only the fly had
greater perspective. If only he could see what we see, it would find freedom
and life.
President Kimball said,
“…one of the advantages of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that it gives us
perspective about the people on this planet, including ourselves, so that we
can see the things that truly matter….”[iii]
As of this date, July
12th, 2008, I have had an interesting turn in my professional career. I had just joined a small local company after
being out of work for the longest period of my life, eight months. I was excited to finally be working again,
but there were some internal problems with the company that were not fully
disclosed to me, and I find myself again looking for work. In my line of work, there are many
opportunities, but most of them would require that I relocate my family. Ivana is just about to start her senior year
of High School, and Victoria is just about to start Jr. High. So it is not a good time for me to uproot my
family and move. Still, the
opportunities are limited if I remain locally.
I wish I had some great perspective to tell me exactly what I should
do. We have faithfully prayed and
trusted that God would lead us in the right direction and open the right doors.
It is a challenge to face the uncertain future but I know that he will direct
our path. There is only one sure path, and
that is to follow him. This is true not
only in my current situation but truly in all situations in our lives. He is the one with perspective. He alone can help us along the path that is
for our growth and development.
The prophet Jeremiah was
asked by Johanan to pray, “That the Lord thy God may show us the way wherein we
may walk, and the thing that we may do.”[2] This is truly the best way to gain the
perspective we need. I know that when we
pray, Heavenly Father will hear and answer us.
I put great trust in
the words of Matthew, as he says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye
shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”[3]
And so, my counsel to
each of us, including me, is very simple.
Continue to seek wisdom, knowledge and greater perspective in all
things. Then, to pray continually that
Heavenly Father will direct your paths where He would have you go.
[i] Spencer
W. Kimball, “The Abundant Life,” Tambuli, Jun 1979, 3
[ii] Try
Something Different, “Price Pritchet”
[iii] Spencer
W. Kimball, “There Is Purpose in Life,” New Era, Sep 1974, 4