Second Counselor in the First Presidency
The Rabbi and the
Soap Maker: There is an old Jewish tale about a soap maker who did not believe
in God. One day as he was walking with a rabbi, he said, “There is something I cannot understand. We
have had religion for thousands of years. But everywhere you look there is
evil, corruption, dishonesty, injustice, pain, hunger, and violence. It appears
that religion has not improved the world at all. So I ask you, what good is
it?” The rabbi did not answer for a time but continued walking with the soap
maker. Eventually they approached a playground where children, covered in dust,
were playing in the dirt. “There is something I don’t understand,” the rabbi
said. “Look at those children. We have had soap for thousands of years, and yet
those children are filthy. What good is soap?” The soap maker replied, “But
rabbi, it isn’t fair to blame soap for these dirty children. Soap has to be
used before it can accomplish its purpose.” The rabbi smiled and said,
“Exactly.”
How Shall We Live?
The
Apostle Paul, quoting an Old Testament prophet, summarized what it means to be
a believer when he wrote, “The just shall live by faith” (Romans
1:17).
Perhaps
in this simple statement we understand the difference between a religion that
is frail and ineffectual and one that has the power to transform lives. But to
understand what it means to live by faith, we must understand what faith is. Faith
is more than belief. It is complete trust in God accompanied by action. It is more
than wishing. It is more than merely sitting back, nodding our heads, and
saying we agree. When we say “the just shall live by faith,”
we mean we are guided and directed by our faith. We act in a manner that is consistent with
our faith—not out of a sense of thoughtless obedience but out of a confident
and sincere love for our God and for the priceless wisdom He has revealed to
His children.
Faith
must be accompanied by action; else it has no life (see James
2:17). It is not faith at all. It doesn’t have the power to change a
single individual, let alone the world.
Men and
women of faith trust in their merciful Heavenly Father—even during times of
uncertainty, even during times of doubt and adversity when they may not see
perfectly or understand clearly.
Men and
women of faith earnestly walk the path of discipleship and strive to follow the
example of their beloved Savior, Jesus
Christ. Faith motivates and, indeed, inspires us to incline our
hearts to heaven and to actively reach out, lift up, and bless our fellowmen.
Religion
without action is like soap that remains in the box. It may have wondrous
potential, but in reality it has little power to make a difference until it
fulfills its intended purpose. The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel
of action. The Church of Jesus Christ teaches true religion as a message of
hope, faith, and charity, including helping our fellowmen in spiritual and
temporal ways.
President Uchtdorf and
his daughter, Antje, visited refugees in a camp near Athens, Greece.
A few
months ago, my wife, Harriet, and I were on a family trip with some of our children in the
Mediterranean area. We visited some refugee camps and met with families from
war-torn countries. These people were not of our faith, but they were our
brothers and sisters and they urgently needed help. Our hearts were deeply
touched when we experienced firsthand how the active faith of our Church
members brings help, relief, and hope to our fellowmen in need, regardless of
their religion, nationality, or education.
Faith
yoked with consistent action fills the heart with kindness, the mind with
wisdom and understanding, and the soul with peace and love.
Our
faith can bless and righteously influence both us and those around us. Our
faith can fill the world with goodness and peace. Our faith can transform
hatred into love and enemies into friends. The just, then, live by acting in
faith; they live by trusting in God and walking in His way. And that is the
sort of faith that can transform individuals, families, nations, and the world.
Teaching from This Message
President Uchtdorf explains that faith is more than just an
expression of belief. True faith in Heavenly Father and in Jesus
Christ requires
action, and living by faith has the power to transform lives and homes. You
could invite those you teach to share moments when they have seen the blessings
and power of living by faith—from either personal examples or observations of
others. Encourage them to pray for guidance to know how to better live the
gospel.
Youth
Serving
Others in Faith
President Uchtdorf tells us that our faith in God must be “accompanied by action.” When our
faith is “yoked with consistent action,” he explains, it “fills … the soul with
peace and love.” With the promise of this blessing, we can make a difference, and we can see this
in our lives if we take the time to do faith-filled service. You could pray
each morning to ask the Lord for help in serving others. For instance, ask Him
to show you when a sibling needs help with a chore or when a friend needs a
compliment. Then, when you receive a prompting, act on it! If you make these
prayers and this service a habit, then your faithful, consistent action will
bless your life and the lives of others. President Uchtdorf promises that you
“can transform individuals, families, nations, and the world.”
Children
Trust
Try this activity with a friend. You’ll have to trust and follow
their directions carefully. With a pen or pencil in your hand, close your eyes.
Let your friend tell you where to draw the eyes, nose, mouth, and hair on this
face. Then take a look. How did it turn out? You can color in the face and draw
another to play again! Sometimes it’s hard to follow directions. But when we
try to follow Heavenly Father by listening to the Holy
Ghost, He will help us. We can always trust Him.
“How
Shall We (I) Live my Life”
cji
4/1/17
When we
were eight years old
there
were dreams and thoughts
we were
now accountable for self
decisions
of right or of the wrong
thus the
question was asked,
‘how
shall we (I) live my life’
where do
I look for an example
many
today have great difficulty
living
in a chaotic void of help
then we
hear the still small voice,
‘the
just shall live by faith’
exercising
this faith with works
discerning
the good and the bad
no
longer eight years old pondering
‘how
have we (I) lived my life’
following
the Prophets and Savior
or by
the precepts of the world?
Copyright © 2016 – cji
