What are the Limits of Your Love?

We were fortunate to hear from a very gifted speaker in Sacrament Meeting today.  Being a psychologist by profession, I suppose he knew how to reach heart strings and tug just enough to make you evaluate things and feel inspired to change and become better.

He started out by inquiring about those who were NOT invited to our Thanksgiving tables.  Those who, for whatever reason, could be considered broken branches on our family tree.  He asked us to consider the limits of our love.

Utilizing cases from his past, he painted pictures of young people troubled with addictions who cause scenes in church.  He talked about adult members who fall less active and show by their tattoos, colorful language and body piercings that they probably aren't living the values the church teaches.  He asked how we would react if these people were to enter our chapel.  Would we be nervous?  Excited? Curious? Critical? Warm? Offended? Inviting?

Then he painted a very different picture.  He talked about the Smith family...you know...the ones that do ALL the right things.  They have a beautiful home, rewarding professions, weekly FHE and daily scripture study.  They are always perfectly groomed and even their youngest children (the ones who can't read) walk in with their triple combinations in tow.  They have "important" callings and just all in all seem like the measuring stick that we all evaluate our righteousness by.  How do we feel toward them?  Envy?  Admiration?  Guilt?  Gratitude because they are the ones you want to snatch up for callings before their names are even read before the congregation? Perhaps a little irritation?

What are the limits of your love?  Who do you choose to invite into your circle and who do you exclude?  and why?

He said that it is important to separate someone's worth from their worthiness.  Worthiness comes on a sliding scale...sometimes our efforts to live the gospel bring up our worthiness and sometimes we may fall short.  We are human.  We work these things out with our Heavenly Father and with a loving bishop. Worth, by contrast, is not changeable. Worth is a constant, it always remains the same.  A 12K diamond is always a 12K diamond.  A child of God is always a child of God.  Where we stand on the sliding scale of worthiness should not cause us to question our worth in God's eyes, or permit us to question the worth of others.

We are charged with the responsibility to show love.  Love is the strongest power in the universe.  We are taught that by showing love, we qualify ourselves for eternal life.

Starting in Luke 10:25: 

25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit ^aeternal life?

26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy ^aheart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.

28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt ^alive.

If we can manage to see past ourselves and to love those who challenge that ability, we become better qualified for the kingdom of our Father in Heaven.  We can do NO HARM by showing love to others.  Our Heavenly Father does much the same by loving each and every one of us, fiercely!

I'll admit there are some in my life, more particularly in my past, that I should learn to love a little more than I do.  I'm sure each of us can think of a few of these people.  I, for one, commit to the find love in my heart for these individuals and hope that it will bring peace to my heart and good to their lives.  No amount of love is wasted.  

He shared this poem in closing:

                                    'Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house

Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.

Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care

In hopes that Jesus would not come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed.

Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.

And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap

Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.

When out of the East there arose such a clatter.

I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!

When what to my wondering eyes should appear

But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.

With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray

I knew in a moment this must be THE DAY!

The light of His face made me cover my head

It was Jesus! returning just like He had said.

And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth,

I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.

In the Book of Life which He held in His hand

Was written the name of every saved man.

He spoke not a word as He searched for my name;

When He said "it's not here" my head hung in shame.

The people whose names had been written with love

He gathered to take to His Father above.

With those who were ready He rose without a sound.

While all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late;

I had waited too long and thus sealed my fate.

I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight;

Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.

In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;

The coming of Jesus is drawing near.

There's only one life and when comes the last call

We'll find that the Bible was true after all!