Monday, May 15, 2006

Isn't It Awesome

Today in church we were discussing Joshua from the Old Testament. The question was raised as to what he may have thought upon being called as the Prophet. A few people commented that when they were called to leadership positions in the Church they asked, "why me?". The short discussion of this point brought inspiration to my mind. Here is what I wrote down:

"Isn't it awesome how it works? Isn't it awesome how in each little ward community there are so many needs, and we, the ward itself, are the ones that fulfill these needs? Isn't it awesome how Heavenly Father lets us fulfill these needs? He certainly could do it all Himself. He could supply all our needs, heal all our wounds, soothe every hurt. But instead, He has chosen to let us help each other, and help ourselves. There is great wisdom in this."

It is in service that we truly excel as human beings. The Church's leadership structure allows us to serve in many capacities. Each of us will be asked to serve in many diverse callings throughout our lives. I believe this is part of God's plan for us.

As in many other cases, we should follow the Father's blueprint for us with our own children. As parents, we are far more capable of doing things than our children are. But if we constantly butt in and don't allow them to make mistakes, they will never grow to their full potential.

I think this principle could be used outside of the home as well. It has an obvious role in welfare systems. If an institution, whether it be government, church, or some other non-profit organization, consistently does for an individual, it will stunt his growth. He will forever be reliant on others to care for him. The aim of any welfare program should be to fulfill pressing needs and then to instill the ability to provide for oneself.

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