The future depends on what we do in the present. - Mahatma Gandhi [1]
Never has there been a more slothful and indolent generation upon this earth. We build and work in order to increase our position, financial holdings, and prestige. The most brilliant minds strive daily to understand the workings of the universe in which we live and the most powerful men expend enormous amounts of brainpower and cunning to interact politically with other men. While these appear to be quite the antithesis of slothful, the same people who are quite industrious in the ways of the world have become exceedingly neglectful to the ways of God. They spend all their time focusing on worldly ambitions, expecting spiritual things to fall simply into place without any effort on their part. They have replaced our Heavenly Father with gods of gold and intelligence.
What will happen to such people whose values and ambitions have betrayed their Creator? Helaman taught that if men build their lives using Christ as a foundation, “they cannot fall.” [2] The opposite is true if a man builds his life upon any foundation other than Christ. His spiritual life will crumble.
How could this spiritual crumbling affect our society as a whole? Albert Einstein said that “the world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” [3] Our society is doing little to nothing spiritually. People will often go to great lengths to achieve something temporally, but reject any notion of doing anything other than the simple act of attending church on Sunday, if they go to the trouble of doing that.
There are other people who do nothing because they feel that they can make no difference in the world. President Hinckley said, “I believe in the principle that I can make a difference in this world. It may be ever so small, but it will count for the greater good. The goodness of the world in which we live is the accumulated goodness of many small and seemingly inconsequential acts.” [4] Too often people look back upon their lives and regret the things they didn’t do, rather than anything they did do. “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.” [5]
It is a mark of the current generation to say, “I’ll try” and believe that to be sufficient, no matter what amount of effort they put into “trying.” This is not enough. It never has been and never will be. “Trying” provides an excuse for failure and leaves room not to put forth the ultimate effort. Spencer W. Kimball said, “Just do it!” [6] Christ gave us his best, and asks only for our best in return. We have been given commandments to act, not to react. We are commended to “go and do,” [6] not to “sit and stew.”
[1] thinkexist.com/quotation/the-future-depends-on-what-we-do-in-the-present/
[2] The Book of Mormon, Helaman 5:12
[3] www.quotedb.com/quotes/3417
[4] http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=7077
[5] Edmund Burke, www.quotedb.com/quotes/862
[6]The Book of Mormon, 1Nephi 3:7
12 comments:
I like the title quotation from Ghandhi. Then you open with a very strong judgment about the sloth of this generation. You support that statement with good quotations. Can you balance the tone of warning with a message of hope so that the tone does not sound harsh. Or could you give an experience from your own life so that readers can tell why this topic is important to you?
Quotations are my favorite things and I really liked how you incorporated a variety of quotes in your blog.
I really enjoyed this blog, I enjoyed all of the quotes you used and how you related it to our times.
You caught my attention by the rhyming title and the quotation by
Ghandhi.
Ha, ha, ha I like the title :) I like how you have in there that God doesn't want slothful servants. That we need to go and build, but not just build for building's sake; but, build on Christ. Truly it is the safest place to build.
I loved the quotes you used they were really good and instructive. I really liked you title, because the person I heard say that was John Bytheway and I love that guy! Just the title says so much! Thank you for your blog.
I really like the concept, don't sell short the little things. They can be just as important.
I enjoyed how you said that we live in an evil and desperate world because of the people who sit and do nothing, and how it is our responsibility to not "sit and stew" but "go and do".
I enjoyed how you said that we live in an evil and desperate world because of the people who sit and do nothing, and how it is our responsibility to not "sit and stew" but "go and do".
The two quotes you had about doing good even if it's a little stick out in my mind because I think it's so true, thanks for sharing this message.
Excellent! We totally have a responsibility to stand up for what we believe in, it reminds me of a poem attributed to Pastor Martin Niemoller about Nazi rise to power
""In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up. They took me Away"
the title of your blog immidiately caught my attention! You really added some personally and humor into it!
Post a Comment