Living In Fear Is Not The Way Of The Lord

July 19th, 2024 Scott
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As a young boy I don’t recall many things I read outside the classroom. But one book I read as a little boy made an impression on me. A number of years ago, my mind was jogged with its lessons when I came upon it in a local bookstore. The name of the “Beginners Book”, copyrighted in 1958, is “A Fly Went By” by Mike McClintock. It’s the story of a little boy who “sat by the lake…looked at the sky, and as he looked, a fly went by.” The entire book is about a fly in fear of a frog he perceives is chasing him to do harm. The narration goes on that the fly ran away from the frog, which ran from a cat, which ran from a dog, which was in fear of a pig, which ran from a cow that was running from a fox. The fox was running from a hunter who was running from something he didn’t see but whose sound was awful. As it turns out, the hunter was running from an innocent lame lamb whose leg was caught in a tin can. The whole story was much ado about the power of fear.

I have noticed that we often worry ourselves sick about things that never happen. We hear about awful tragedies or terrible events that happen to others and begin to worry. And horrible things do happen. And sometimes, they even happen to us. But more times than not, they don’t. The problem with cultivating a life of fear is that it robs us of happiness! We fear losing a job or not getting into our desired school. We fear we won’t be liked, that we don’t look just right. We fear for our health our country or if we will get a job promotion. If you are a parent the potential to worry is endless. When your children are little you fear for their physical safety. When they get older its more for their spiritual safety! It is very easy to develop what I call “the habit of fear.” It’s an unpleasant way to go through life.

We all know better because on numerous occasions the Savior told the apostles to “fear not” but have faith in him. John wrote that “perfect love castest out fear”. (1 John 4:18). In the tenth chapter of the Doctrines and Covenants it reads, “Therefore, whosoever belongeth to my church need not fear, for such shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.” (vs. 55) Nevertheless, even believers in these words have a hard time shaking fear of the unknown.

What then are we to do? The answer is still the same as it has always been. A deep knowledge and faith in the plan of salvation as revealed in these last days should cast out fear because we understand that bad things can come into the lives of even the most righteous individual or family. But it is called Heavenly Father’s “Plan of Happiness” for a reason. We accepted it and rejoiced over it in the pre-existence because we knew it was the only way to develop and become like Him.

A number of years ago I spoke in church and said, “If I had magic dust I would sprinkle it over this entire congregation so that no one would have any problems!” I followed up that erroneous statement with, “Well, I guess that is why I am not in charge because that is not according to God’s plan of happiness!” It was a learning moment for me because after I sat down I thought about how much Heavenly Father loves each of us. His love is immensely more profound for each of us than my shallow love of the entire congregation of the ward! I thought, “If I, on my simple level wanted to see no one have problems, wouldn’t he feel the same way on a much deeper basis. Wouldn’t He “sprinkle the magic dust” on everyone if he thought it was the best?” It left me pondering!

I know that terrible things happen to people in this life. This year has already been a year full of sadness, pain, and suffering for me and my wife. We have lost loved ones so dear to our hearts.  But I shouldn’t live my life in fear of what life holds for me tomorrow.  We need to trust in the author of the plan. He is someone who loves us and knows what is best for our development. “Fear Not!” is something we should have emblazoned on our souls because living a life in fear is not the way of the Lord!

 

With Gracious Honor! (The Blessings of a Father-In-Law)

July 18th, 2024 Scott
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He has since passed away. I first spoke to him on the phone. It was a tense moment, asking him for his daughter’s hand! It was 1978 and he had never met me or even knew that I was in love with his daughter. I remember the feeling of the conversation all these years later. He was kind and gracious as he gave me permission to marry her! I am sure he wondered who I was and what I would become. Could I provide and make his daughter happy? Would I honor and cherish her? Sometimes I wonder how he could have been so gracious under the circumstance, handing over to me, a virtual stranger, his precious daughter. I have become more and more aware of a father’s love for a daughter as I, too, have placed my faith in the man who married mine.

I have now been married to his daughter for over 46 years. Never over the 40-plus years of marriage when he was alive did he ever say or do anything to me that couldn’t be described as respectful, loving, or kind. He was a man of great wisdom and wit. He touched the lives of all those he came into contact with for the good. No one who met him will forget him. It was an honor to be his son-in-law. It was an honor to call him father.

It is a great blessing to have a wonderful, supportive father-in-law. I feel the same way Moses did when Jethro, his father-in-law, came to town. Exodus records:
“And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare…” (18:7)

Marriage can be difficult at times, but it is made all the easier when a couple has supportive parents who encourage and bless their offspring. Their example is fundamental to the success of a young couple looking for direction. He is missed by many, but his support and love are still blessing the lives of his daughter and a young man who wanted so desperately to become a man worthy of his blessing all those years ago!

When High Noon Comes!

July 17th, 2024 Scott
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The great western movie classic, “High Noon”, tells the story of a town Marshall who is forced to face a gang of killers all by himself. As the Marshall scours the town for help, no one has the courage to come forward to help him, leaving him alone and outnumbered to face the evil that will surely come to the town if the gang is not stopped. Arriving by train at noon, the outlaws return to town to seek revenge. There they find the town deserted except for the Marshall who is the only  man left standing in the street to defend the right.

At least once in each of our lives we will find ourselves in a deserted town as the train whistle sounds, and the clock strikes high noon! We will find ourselves in a position of ‘standing alone’ in the street to defend the right.  Thomas S. Monson encouraged us to be defenders of righteousness when he said:

“As we go about living from day-to-day, it is almost inevitable that our faith will be challenged. We may at times find ourselves surrounded by others and yet standing in the minority or even standing alone concerning what is acceptable and what is not. Do we have the moral courage to stand firm for our beliefs, even if by so doing we must stand alone?…it is essential that we are able to face—with courage—whatever challenges come our way. Remember the words of Tennyson: “My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure.” (“Dare to Stand Alone”, GC, Oct 2011)

All of us are faced with  daily challenges in this life.  Some of those challenges become a ‘High Noon” moment in our life. In order to overcome them we must be men and women of resolve. We must be willing to stand for gospel principles that no longer seem popular or in vogue. Sometimes that means we must stand alone in the street against daunting odds.

The movie, “High Noon” ended with the Marshall overcoming all odds and goodness prevailed. But that is a “Hollywood” ending. From experience we know that, oft-times, a happy ending doesn’t happen in real life. Yet, we can be reassured, that “the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” (Matthew 16:27)

May we all have the courage to walk the street alone and then stand our ground when the train whistle sounds and ‘high noon’ comes into our town!

Yet, He Came!

July 16th, 2024 Scott
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A photographer captured the moment and forever froze it in my mind. The image stands as a testament as to how ‘action’ speaks so much louder than words. It was 1974 and I was participating in the state wrestling finals which was held many miles from my hometown. I had just been badly beaten by my opponent and my season and wrestling career was essentially over. I sat in the stands with my head down and tears coming down my cheeks when I felt his arm on my shoulder. It was my older brother, Doug, offering words of comfort and encouragement. He had driven the distance and taken the time to come and support me in my quest for a championship that was now out of my reach.

Later I found out through my mother,  that my brother had not only come, but he had given up a days wages to be there. I knew he was financially tight. As a young married man he already had a wife and several children to support. Yet, he came! What did that mean to me and what message did it send to a younger brother?  Well, it is over 40 years later and I can’t think of this experience without tears welling up in my eyes because his support that day spoke loudly of his love and concern for me. He had not just wished me luck and gone on his way. He had paid a price to be there in attendance.

When I see this photo, I remember the anguish of losing that day, and I am reminded that, there he is, clearly listening to me and being attentive to his younger brother. He came! The wages he lost can never be earned again, but what he bought that day, for me, was a sweet memory of a brother that cared enough to be there in my moment of triumphant, or the agony of my defeat.

Life is full of small opportunities to share sweet moments with our loved ones. But in order to capture them we must be there so that our loved ones can see us and joyously say, “He came!” I don’t know if my brother even remembers coming to this important event in my early life but it doesn’t really matter. Because for me, it was important. For me it was ‘one moment in time!’ For me it is a memory forever made with a brother who came!

Many years ago the singer songwriter Harry Chapin, in his moving song, “Cats in the Cradle”,  told the story of a father who never seemed to find time for his son. Later in life and now retired the father now had time and wanted to spend it with his now grown son. His son would repeatedly and politely refuse his father’s offer to spend time together because he was too busy. After one such phone conversation the father sadly mused:

“And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me, he’d grown up just like me. My boy was just like me.”

Time is a commodity, and precious moments abound, yet, they pass quickly in the night. If we are not careful we can be left with regrets. We don’t want to find ourselves,  like the ten virgins, knocking on a closed door only to hear from our loved ones inside:

“I say unto you, I know you not.” (Matthew 25:2)

 

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