TheDiscipleMD
We have all done it at least once in our lives. You know, rubbernecking! We are driving along the highway, and there is an accident ahead, or someone is in trouble with the law. As we come close to the scene, we slow way down, sometimes to a crawl. We look! We look again! We look still again, this time we stretch our necks ever so high in hopes of a glimpse of the “scene.” It seems that our necks are made of rubber as we desperately stretch to see what “all the excitement” is about. This rubbernecking is not harmless because, at a minimum, people are delayed in arriving at their destinations. At its worst, inattentive drivers can cause another accident. I’m sure you have been in traffic jams where the accident is on the opposite side of a divided highway. The traffic jam on your side is not caused by the accident, but by “rubberneckers.” This causes delays and problems long after the scene of the accident has been cleared.

The highway of our life is no different from the highways we travel on every day. Except that the highway of life’s destination is the Celestial Kingdom, not work, church or some event. We are told that the Lord’s “paths are righteous. Behold, the way for man is narrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel.” ( 2 Nephi 9:41). I think we all desire to arrive at the gate of heaven and be judged by its keeper “the Lord God.” But many a person has been distracted by the “excitement” along the roadside. They have “rubbernecked” themselves into trouble. One such tragic individual was David. Chosen of God, he found himself “rubbernecking” one night. “And it came to pass in an evening-tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon” (2 Samuel 11:1–2).

A few years ago Whitney Clayton spoke of David. He said:

“Do you see how David got caught in this trap? He was on a rooftop courtyard of his palace, and looking below in a neighboring yard, he saw something he never should have seen. That was the adversary’s bait. Modesty, chastity, and good judgment required that David turn away immediately and not watch, but he didn’t do either thing. Instead, he allowed his mind to turn to forbidden fantasies, those thoughts led to actions, and things quickly spiraled downward from bad to worse to fatal. David was trapped, and for him the consequences were eternal.” (“Blessed Are All the Pure in Heart”).

David’s life journey took a significant detour because of his “rubbernecking!” He didn’t just get delayed on his journey: he had a major car accident. It is so tempting to “rubberneck” at the things of the world. Just a peek, just slowing down to glance at the enticing man-made things. If we do so, we might find ourselves “seeing something we should never see.”
Let us keep our eyes on the road, with our destination being eternal life with our Father. Resist the temptation to “rubberneck” after the world. It could cause a delay in our eternal arrival. Or, worse yet, like David, the consequences could bring about the total wreck of our lives.

TheDiscipleMD

It was my turn to read the “chart.” I had been pulled out of 6th grade for my annual eye exam. I walked down the school hallway to the exam room and was told to stand on the chalk line. After being given a black plastic spoon, I was told to cover my left eye and read the letters on the chart, starting with the largest one. I dutifully followed directions, put the spoon over my left eye, and read the letter E on top of the chart. Then I squinted and thought I saw an “F” and “T” on the following line. I couldn’t read anything below that. I read the letters on the chart with the same result when I put the spoon over my right eye. I didn’t think much of it. I was told, “Thank you,” and I started to go back to class. But just as I reached the outside door of the room, I turned around and watched another kid from my class put the spoon over his left eye. He started reading all the letters on the chart, all the way to the bottom. I thought to myself, “Wow, that kid has some kind of eyesight.” It was shortly thereafter the news arrived that my fellow classmate wasn’t a “visionary” kid after all. He was normal. I was blind! That is, I needed glasses. I had no idea that I wasn’t seeing like everyone else, because I only knew how things looked through my eyes. The day I got my glasses is the day I realized that a whole new world was at my fingertips. I remember so distinctly standing outside and looking at the trees. They were not just gobs of green as I had seen them before,  they had distinct leaves. It was an “eye-opening” experience. I have never forgotten that moment. That is what a clear and focused vision can give a kid: a new perspective on things.

In this life, many travel, unaware that they are not seeing all that this life has to offer. Sure they enjoy the shades of green on the trees, but they are not partaking of the crystal clear vision that comes with the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are missing the beauty of seeing each individual leaf! As a kid, I was enjoying my life and thinking all was well. I was never the same after putting on my glasses for the first time. I didn’t and wouldn’t have wanted to go back to my days of fussiness. I had been exposed to something better, a miracle you could say; a conversion to a better life.

Over the years, as I have looked about, I have found nothing that gives a clearer vision of the beauty of this life than the teachings of Christ. I know that others may be happy with their lives. How wonderful! But, can anyone really understand what they are missing until they put on “spiritual” glasses and begin to see the tiny beauties that are waiting to be discovered? Why would anyone ever want to go back!  I was always impressed with this scriptural story, found in the ninth chapter of John.

” Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight… Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” (John 9: 10-11, 24-25).

For many, like myself, the gospel of Jesus Christ has given clarity to our lives. It’s a clarity that is eye-opening and wonderful!

TheDiscipleMD

As a boy and then as a young man, I conjured up in my immature mind a girl who would somehow capture my heart, mind, body, and soul, and forever be the girl, then the woman, of my dreams. That somehow, somewhere, I would find a girl who could hold my interest, and keep me forever young! I don’t know who in their right mind believes in such fairytales! But for a lucky few, like me, fairytales do come true!

As I have grown in maturity, I have come to realize that my wife is so much more than the simplistic concepts of my youth. My tribute to her, after watching her for these many decades, is my respect, honor, and love! No need to elaborate!

When you really love a woman, you don’t want to disappoint her because, more than anything else, you want to be the ‘man of her dreams.’ And even though you know that really can’t be, you love her even more for her grace in accepting that fact. And you discover, as a husband, that’s why she is not only the ‘woman of your dreams,’ but she is the “Ultimate Woman,” because she loves you anyway!