Monday, May 7, 2012

Ruby Slippers

The power was with Dorothy to go home all the time. As soon as she arrived in the land of Oz she killed the witch (but not on purpose) and put on the ruby slippers. This gave her the power to go home, but she didn't know it. She thought she needed a wizard, or a big balloon to take her home.

Likewise, we have the power within us all the time. Power is the ability to change, both ourselves and our environment. We think we need God to give us what we want, but He has already provided us with everything we need to go home. While we are here, we go to Him so He can show us how to access the gifts we were given. He teaches us the truth that we are His children with inherent power. Some take those truths and use them to go down the Yellow Brick Road, instead of aiming for Home.


The Philosophies of men

Modern religion is all about "the power within." We are instructed by the existentialist traditions of our fathers that we are gods. We are self-created, and we continually re-create ourselves. We can do anything we put our minds to. We can be happy if we think happy thoughts. We can achieve our dreams. Our attitude determines our altitude. We can make our lives into whatever we want.

There are myriad books about the powers we possess. Some tell us we can "think and grow rich," others tell us whatever we can conceive, we can achieve. The power is within us to do all things -- if we believe. Men use these philosophies to get what they want: money, power, love, and the things of this world.

"Science" is another existentialist philosophy. Technology is touted as the salvation of the world because it helps us to live longer, healthier, and more comfortable lives. People believe that scientists will eventually discover how to keep us alive forever, bringing immortality, or salvation from death.

The most basic philosophy of the world is that the lack of money is the root of all problems so it's logical that money will save us. We can buy anything in this world with money. Money buys food so we don't starve. Money buys homes and land so we have a place to lay our heads. Money buys doctors to make or keep us healthy. Money buys all the things our families need to enjoy life, have fun, and really live. We have the power to be wealthy, if we believe.


Mingled with scripture

The problem with these philosophies is that they are true, in a sense. We can prove them in the scriptures. The Lord spoke more on the subject of money than any other. Jesus said, "all things are possible to him that believeth." (Mark 9:23) The Proverbs tells us that, "as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7) In the Psalms we read that "Ye are gods." (Psalm 82:6) King Benjamin tells us that good people "are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual." (Mosiah 2:41) Indicating that God will give us what we want, money and happiness. 

There is truth in all the philosophies of the world. We can go through the entire volume of scripture and prove any of the philosophies of men simply because they are true. However, this isn't the truth that makes us free -- or brings us Home.

The eye of the needle
When we use our power to get what we want in the world, it is just that much harder for us to go home to the Kingdom of God. Jesus said,

For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?
And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
(Luke 18:25-27)

While a man cannot get a camel through the eye of a needle (intact), God can. Likewise, it is absolutely impossible for any man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven by any of the philosophies that we use for temporal salvation. Thus, though all these works may be true, they do not help us to Eternal salvation.

When we spend our time and energy looking for money, power, love, or some other wizard to save us, we are always disappointed that they are not as great and powerful as we thought they would be. All of our efforts don't bring us anything like true salvation because, though we do have power as children of God, there is one thing we do NOT have the power to do: go Home -- we need help. For this reason God has provided the way, the only way, in His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life." All things come from Him. He is the ruby slippers, being there constantly from the moment we enter into a covenant with Him. He makes "all things" possible. He brings our camel through the eye of a needle.

Building a mansion
Jesus also told the the parable of Lazarus, a beggar, and a rich man who both die. Lazarus is in paradise with Abraham while the rich man is suffering in hell. When the rich man asked about this he was told, "thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." (Luke 16:25)

Getting what we want in life puts us in danger of not being able to go home. The way to Eternal Life, then, is to do the exact opposite of what the self-help books tell us. Instead of seeking what we want, we would use the power God has given us to serve others. Instead of thinking to grow rich we could think to serve God, and thus build up treasures in Heaven. Jesus said,

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Matthew 6:19-21

Treasures in Heaven are those things that last forever: faith, hope, charity, intelligence, family, and every person we help to come to God. These go with us when we die. Anything that will not go with us is like a dream, somewhere over the rainbow; all the witches we have bathed, all the flying monkeys we have killed, all the Emerald Cities we have entered, and all the wizards we have known will mean little; they are only part of our instruction. It's Christ that brings us Home to where we are loved -- if that's where our heart is. Just believe, and click your heals three times... because one Eternal truth I know: There's no place like Home!

2 comments:

  1. One of my pet grammar corrections. ...there are myriad books...

    myriad = "innumerable"
    not "lot".

    ReplyDelete
  2. I needed to hear this one. Thank you for sharing!

    ReplyDelete