SEEING TRUTH AMIDST DECEPTION

Seeing Truth Amidst Deception

I came across a simple riddle on social media yesterday, and thinking myself a fairly smart guy, I decided to take the bait and see if I could solve it.  After a bit of review, I was confident I had discerned the correct answer, but was surprised when I found I was mistaken and had been deceived.

Here is the simple riddle for you to see:

Someone’s mother has four sons.  North, South and East.  What is the name of the fourth son.  Private message me the name of the fourth son.  If you lose, you have to repost.

When I discovered I was mistaken, I decided to go ahead and share the riddle for others to see if they could see through what I had failed to see.  It was kind of an experiment to see how many would actually be able to get the correct answer.  There were many who responded, but NONE of them saw through the deception to recognize the plain truth.  And that is because the truth was so subtly hidden amidst the deception.

And there is a great lesson to be learned from this simple exercise in how the adversary attempts to deceive us in our daily walk of life.

As we look at the simple three sentence riddle, there is an obvious first choice.  With the other 3 sons named North, South and East, we would first assume the 4^th son would be named West.  But we seem to recognize this is an obvious deception, so nearly right off we don’t accept it.  Our pride kicks in and we put our logical, mortal thinking caps on.  The third sentence appears to be the question of who the son is, so we go back to the first sentence for information and come to the conclusion that the 4^th son’s name must be “Someone”.  Get it… “Someone’s” mother has four sons.  And that is the answer which I pridefully accepted and became confident in… and so did every single person who responded to the riddle when I shared it.

But the very clever deception and actual truth is hidden in plain sight within the 3^rd sentence: What is the name of the fourth son.  It is not a question at all, but a statement, with a period at the end, not a question mark.  The fourth son is named “What”.

This simple and clever deception, with the truth so plainly evident and hidden within such a short three sentences got me to thinking about how easily we can be deceived through cunning misdirection if we are not careful to recognize plain truth.

And that is often how the adversary works in our lives.  He knows we will recognize a clear deception and misdirection and will reject it and not play along.  So instead, he hides the truth amidst some subtle and clever deceptions so that we will feel the flavor of truth, but not recognize it because it is mixed in with what appears to be truth, but is actually the misdirection itself.

And having been deceived by the riddle, I then shared the deception with others who also fell victim to its snare... every single one of them who took the bait, got it wrong as well.  And thus the lie and deception was perpetuated.

There are many scriptures which warn us about the cunning deceptions of the adversary:

“O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.” (2 Nephi 9:28)

This was one of the prideful deceptions I fell prey to in the riddle.  I wanted to show I was smart and had figured it out, so in that small stroke of pride I declared my knowledge, only to find out later that I was mistaken.

“And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of sin and transgression, and the power of the devil, which comes by the cunning plans which he hath devised to ensnare the hearts of men.” (Alma 28:13)

Recently Pres. Russel M. Nelson stated:

          “My dear brothers and sisters, the assaults of the adversary are increasing exponentially, in intensity and in variety.” (October 2018)

          “The long-standing objective of the Church is to assist all members to increase their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and in His Atonement, to assist them in making and keeping their covenants with God, and to strengthen and seal their families. In this complex world today, this is not easy. The adversary is increasing his attacks on faith and upon us and our families at an exponential rate. To survive spiritually, we need counterstrategies and proactive plans.” (October 2018)

Sometimes the adversary works through others, who have succumbed to his follies, as we witness the political strife and deceptions and sleight of hand in the media in our world today:

“Yea, we see that Amalickiah, because he was a man of cunning device and a man of many flattering words, that he led away the hearts of many people to do wickedly; yea, and to seek to destroy the church of God, and to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them…” (Alma 46:10)

James E. Faust so eloquently stated the following (which are only excerpts of his talk “Voice of the Spirit”, Sept 5, 1993):

          “The Spirit’s voice is ever present, but it is calm. The adversary tries to smother this voice with a multitude of loud, persistent, persuasive, and appealing voices:

Murmuring voices that conjure up perceived injustices.

Whining voices that abhor challenge and work.

Seductive voices offering sensual enticements.

Soothing voices that lull us into carnal security.

Intellectual voices that profess sophistication and superiority.

Proud voices that rely on the arm of flesh.

Flattering voices that puff us up with pride.

Cynical voices that destroy hope.

Entertaining voices that promote pleasure seeking.

Commercial voices that tempt us to “spend money for that which is of no worth” and/or “labor for that which cannot satisfy”.

          In your generation you will be barraged by multitudes of voices telling you how to live, how to gratify your passions, how to have it all. You will have up to five hundred television channels at your fingertips. There will be all sorts of software, interactive computer modems, databases, and bulletin boards; there will be desktop publishing, satellite receivers, and communications networks that will suffocate you with information.

           How are you possibly going to select what voices you will listen to and believe? The implications for you as individuals are staggering. To survive, you must:

          First, exercise your moral agency wisely. …Every moment demands that we choose, over and over again, between that which comes from the Lord and that which comes from the devil. As tiny drops of water shape a landscape, so our minute-by-minute choices shape our character.

          Seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; . . .

          Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ. [Moroni 7:18–19]

          You will not be able to travel through life on borrowed light. The light of life must be part of your very being. The voice you must learn to heed is the voice of the Spirit.

          I have suggested a simple solution for selecting the channel to which you will attune yourselves: Listen to and follow the voice of the Spirit. This is an ancient solution, even eternal, and may not be popular in a society that is always looking for something new.

          This solution requires patience in a world that demands instant gratification.

          This solution is quiet, peaceful, and subtle in a world enamored by that which is loud, incessant, fast paced, garish, and crude.

          This solution requires you to be contemplative while your peers seek physical titillation.

          This solution requires the prophets to “put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth” (2 Peter 1:12). This may seem foolish in a time when it is not worth remembering much of the trivial tripe to which we are exposed.

          This solution requires you to walk by faith in a world governed by sight (see 2 Corinthians 4:18, 5:7). You must see with the eye of faith eternal, unseen, spiritual verities, whereas the masses of mankind depend solely on temporal things, which can be known only through the physical senses.”

So how are we to see through the myriads of voices and subtle deception which swirl in confusion and misdirection around us?

Simply stated, we must learn, often through trial and error, to attune ourselves to truth.  And we do this best by immersing ourselves in the source of truth. We must become accustomed to its feel and flavor and recognize its sweet resonance.

We must go to the source of all truth rather than seeking through the internet or other corruptible and fallible sources.  We must come to KNOW Truth for ourselves, personally and individually.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

Truth has a name – and His name is Jesus Christ!

We must come to recognize His voice, His guiding influence, His flavor and resonance above all the other myriad of voices and deceptions.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28)

This is the great quest and entire purpose of this mortal life.  To learn, by personal experience, how to recognize and respond to the call of Truth, the call of Jesus Christ which is lovingly leading us back to our heavenly home with his invitation to “Come Unto Me”.  And that through having learned to recognize and follow that voice, we will have become changed to become more like Him, so that we will feel welcome and comfortable in His presence.

May we take more heed to hearken to the voice of Truth, and become accustomed to its reliable resonance and reality, so that we can safely navigate through the cunning deceptions and misdirections which are laid like landmines all around us, and instead, walk the straight and narrow path which leads to truth, life and salvation.

“Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:5-6)

May we look to the source of Truth, so that we might find Him!

Parable of the Young Knights

Last night, as I was digging through an old drawer, I found a piece of paper upon which I had scribbled out some thoughts for a parable way back in 2006. So I decided to dust it off and write it out. Here it goes for what its worth.

PARABLE OF THE YOUNG KNIGHTS

Once upon a time, there was a great and mighty King. His Kingdom was vast, varied and spanned the globe. He was merciful, loving and kind. All who followed him and came to know him loved the King and desired to serve him. From among those followers the King selected several young men and called them to be Knights. All of them felt inadequate to the calling and the tasks which were laid before them, but the King had faith in them and could see their potential and expressed his deep confidence in them.

To assist them in their training the King established a regular daily and weekly program of training. During this training they were taught defense tactics and learned how to identify the adversaries to the King - the evil dragon and his minions. They were given instructions how to be aware of and avoid the traps which the enemy might use against them. But they were also trained in how to fight offensively against the enemy and better serve the King and his subjects throughout the land. They were given access to a vast armory with shields, swords, armor, maps of the kingdom, and where experienced guides were stationed who knew the land and could help guide them in their service.

After a period of training one young Knight finally received his assignment to represent the King, protect the weak, serve those in need and to put down opposition as he was able. He was to avoid conflict if possible and solve problems with kindness, but not be afraid to fight for what was right to further the efforts of the King. Still somewhat unsure, but desirous to serve the King he loved, the young Knight left armed and full of good intentions.

But he soon discovered as he journeyed through the kingdom, that being dressed and clothed as a representative of the King caused him to be more easily recognized by the King’s enemies. They planned and laid skillful traps and besieged him much more than the commoners around him.

The young knight valiantly defended himself and fought them back, but in his battles his armor was damaged, he lost his sword, and he sustained several wounds. The King’s enemies ridiculed and mocked him in his defeats and inexperience and some even invited him to forsake the King’s service and instead come and join them in their destructive escapades.

Limping back to the castle, beaten, sore, confused and discouraged, the young Knight was taken back into the King’s castle. His wounds were tended and mended and he was given additional training, re-armed and once again sent out to represent the King once more.

This process repeated itself week after week, and over time, the young Knight continued to grow stronger and gain more wisdom and experience. He became more knowledgeable of the terrain and more easily able to recognize and avoid the snares of the King’s adversaries. He was able to fend off or avoid attacks until eventually he became skilled enough that the enemies to the King had little or no advantage over him. As he regularly returned to the King’s palace he was continually trained and re-armed and gained further knowledge from both the King and the his advisers.

As he interacted with the King and continued to faithfully serve him, the young Knight gradually learned what it meant to be a King and how to serve with strength and stability, but also with love and compassion. The King’s wisdom, confidence and encouragement empowered him to serve valiantly, and over time he became esteemed by the people who came to recognize that he truly represented the King and could feel the King’s love and protection for them through the Knight’s humble service among them. And he found he was not alone as he developed friendships and strength from among the other faithful Knights in the King’s service. Theirs was a unique brotherhood and bond and strengthened their love for the King.

But among the group of young Knights who had been selected, there were some who were less committed and more fearful. Among this group was one such less-devoted Knight who initially went to the training sessions, but only did so as a show and to gain recognition, not because he was committed in his love or service to the King. He hadn’t really come to know the King personally, and was therefore more interested in how this position might advance him in his personal goals.

He began to avoid some of the King’s commands which seemed more difficult, and did not walk openly among the people in his Knight’s clothing so as to avoid confrontation and service to others. He set aside his armor and weapons when it wasn’t convenient so he could blend in and was less recognizable and therefore could find more time of leisure and common, personal pursuits.

But despite this path of complacency and lack of internal commitment to serve the King, he was still recognized by the King’s enemies. Traps were laid and this less faithful Knight was caught and beaten. His weapons and armor were taken and he was eventually released.

Ashamed at the loss of his armor and weapons, and nursing deep wounds, he refused to return to the King to receive further training and be re-armed. He feared the King and the other Knights would be disappointed in him and that he might actually be punished for his follies and prior lack of commitment.

Renouncing his Knighthood, he left living within the castle grounds in attempt to be lost among the commoners. But despite all of these efforts, the enemies to the King still recognized him after a time. But now, without weapons or armor to defend himself and lacking purpose, he was buffeted, beaten at will and eventually one day found himself fleeing in the deep, dark woods where the Dragon himself fell upon him with slashing talons, razor-sharp teeth, and fiery breath and he was left for dead.

And sadly, this young Knight was not the only one who suffered this fate. Others suffered similarly along their own paths and varied degrees of commitment.

But this is not the end of this young Knight’s story. For though he had walked away from the castle, the King still loved him and knew of his potential and refused to abandon him. He sent his valiant Knights searching throughout the kingdom in search of this lost and wayward servant. When they found him, they lovingly invited him back to the castle where the physicians could tend to his wounds. There he could be redressed in fine clothing, given further education, and even brought back into the King’s presence.

Worried and ashamed the young, fallen Knight feared the King would not receive him back into the castle, but the kind and patient reassurance of the valiant Knights who truly served the King and exhibited His qualities eventually convinced him to try to return. There were moments of doubt and feeling uncomfortable, and there were some servants within the castle, who lacked understanding and wisdom, who looked down on him with shame. But those who truly represented the King, continued to reassure him and encourage him and brought him back into the King’s presence, where the young man was received in the King’s loving embrace.

The King once again restored his confidence in himself and told him that all was forgotten and in the past, and offered that if he would once again commit to serve him, his station as a Knight and representative of the King would be fully restored.

They young man found healing and restoration in the King’s loving presence and was able to return to service, and because of his past experiences, he became invaluable in being able to help others learn of the King’s loving nature and gather them into the King’s castle where they could receive protection and blessings.

These valiant Knights sadly realized that as they searched out the King’s lost servants, not all would come back into the castle. Many were too complacent with where they were living and others had actually joined the cause of the dragon and his minions and were now openly fighting against the King and using their knowledge of the castle to help the cause of the enemy.

As the faithful Knights brought these concerns and reports before the King, He reassured them to be patient and diligent and that all was known to the King, and that in time His royal purposes would all be fulfilled.

The Knights who served the King valiantly came to realize that there was no greater fulfillment or joy than to be in the King’s service and to feel of His love and approval. They loved the King with all of their hearts, and trusted and served Him humbly wherever and to whomever He did send them, fearing not for their own lives. And their joy was full and their inheritance of the Kingdom was made sure, and they rejoiced, gave all glory to, and praised the King forevermore!

The "Limits" of Love

The Limits of Love

Years ago when I lived in Utah, I was heading home from a home health physical therapy visit and driving through the town of Lehi.  I will admit that I was in a hurry to finish my day and get back home to my family, a nice dinner, some comfortable sweat pants and my easy chair.  So I was probably going about 5 miles-(ish) over the speed limit, but nothing major, right?

Suddenly, another motorist came up from behind, sped past me going about 10 miles per hour faster than I was, and the next thing I knew flashing police lights were appearing in my rear view mirror.  Thinking for sure the officer was going after the man who had just raced past me, I slowed down and began to pull over to the side, while the speeding car who passed me was now a few blocks ahead, had turned and was racing up the freeway on-ramp.  But to my surprise the patrol car pulled off the road behind me.

As the officer got out of his vehicle and approached I was somewhat stunned by this situation.  When I rolled down my window to address him and he asked if I knew how fast I had been driving, I replied, “Officer, surely you must have my speed confused with the other car who just passed me and raced up onto the freeway?”

He replied, “No, I know that man was going faster than you.  I saw the whole thing.  But by the time I could catch up, he was already getting on the freeway and was beyond my reach.  His time will come.  But that doesn’t change the fact that you were also driving in excess of the speed limit.”

I was shocked, and started to get a little bit angry about this situation.  It appeared as if I was just being singled out for my lesser violation while someone who had done far worse was getting away with it.  Where was the justice in that?  But then he said something that changed my train of thought about the situation.

He said, “I know it might not seem fair at the moment, but the fact is, I actually care.  If you had seen the things I have seen, you would know that I only want EVERYONE to be safe and to be able to return home to their loved ones.  That’s why the rules are in place, even for you.”

This comment struck me.  This officer wasn’t to blame.  I had been speeding and in violation of the law which was in place to protect me and everyone else.  The fact that someone else wasn’t following the law didn’t excuse me from doing so.    And yes, I got a ticket, which was later waived because I went to a 20 minute traffic safety class.

But this experience taught me a valuable life lesson - Most rules (at least justly made rules) are in place to help us, not to hinder us.  And there is an important lesson to learn from such a concept.  But first, let me expound upon my driving analogy just a bit further.

The distance between where I live and where I work each day results in about a 20 minute commute.  But it is through rural farm country and is a pleasant drive for the most part, and it gives me time to ponder and pray or listen to a nice audio book or uplifting podcast so I don’t really mind all that much.

But I am surprised that despite the leisurely nature of the drive, there are so many people in such a hurry to get where they are going.  Despite the fact that I am driving the speed limit (which I try to do, but am definitely not perfect at it), there always seems to be one or two people who are right on my bumper and waiting to pass, and then whipping past me in a speedy frenzy to be on their way.  I try to accommodate their intent and wish them well and safety on their way.  But what is often comical about this is that despite their passing me and speeding ahead, by the time I reach town I have often caught up to them or passed them again as they sit waiting at a stop light or waiting to turn left at a corner.  So all the rush really didn’t help them get there any faster anyway.  And sadly, it may have put themselves and others at risk along the way.

So what is the purpose of a speed limit?

A speed limit is the maximum speed which you are allowed to drive under “optimal” road conditions.  Those conditions can be varied by time of day, lighting and visibility issues, snow or rainy roads, potholes or other unexpected obstructions, other motorists or pedestrians, school zones, no passing zones because the potential for encountering oncoming traffic is extremely high, etc.

Just because your vehicle has the ability to drive faster doesn’t mean that you should or that you can without consequences.  Now don’t get me wrong, you have the ability to choose to drive as fast as you want, BUT not without potential consequences.

You might say, “Well, it’s my choice?  I am in a hurry!  What I have to do and where I have to go is more important than what the limits allow?”

Yes, you can say all of those things and drive how you desire.  But the potential consequences can be life changing in ways both large and small.  Just consider some of those possibilities:

• ·     Speeding tickets – which have never brightened anyone’s day or made them feel better.
• ·        Accidents – sometimes small and minor and sometimes major with loss of life and permanent disabilities or death or loss of the use of your vehicle and ability to get around.
• ·       Increased insurance costs for which you pay for long periods of time until improved behavior is demonstrated.
• ·       Potential medical costs and prolonged rehabilitation needs.
• ·       Potential guilt if you injured someone else along the way.
• ·       And the list could go on, but you get the idea

Those things that seemed so important and why you needed to get there a few moments faster suddenly disappear when the potential consequences become a reality.

And sometimes we may want to shift the blame for such things onto others around us:

·         “It’s the other stupid drivers on the road who are going to slow!”

·         “That mean police officer is being a jerk and just wanted to ruin my day!”

·         “This insurance racket is rigged to make me pay!”

The problem with this train of thought is that it shifts the blame to someone else, and doesn’t take accountability for our own actions, nor the fact that we were not driving according to the defined and posted law or according to the conditions around us.

The simple fact is, the laws and limits are there to provide for our safety, not as a restriction or punishment.  They allow us to travel about with other motorists who all have their own destinations and motivations.

So what is the purpose behind all this traffic talk anyway?  Well, let’s “shift gears” and extend these thoughts in to other arenas.

“Just because your vehicle has the ability to drive faster doesn’t mean that you should or that you can without consequences.”

Now let’s change that slightly to an example of something like …let’s say sexual immorality – “Just because you have the physical ability to participate in acts of physical intimacy doesn’t mean you should whenever and however you want.”  You might feel the “need for speed” in this desire, but that doesn’t give you the right to force that desire upon someone else against their will or outside of appropriate marriage relationships without some kind of consequences.

Just as violation of traffic laws is likely to eventually result in some kind of ticket, accident, injury, broken cars and broken lives, inappropriate and unsafe sexual relations and tendencies outside the bounds of marriage is likely to result in potential STDs, broken hearts of family by a cheating spouse, broken homes, unwanted pregnancies and the ripple effects can go on and on.

And with something like this, there is the basic speed limit of “Thou shalt not commit adultery” which is based on “optimal road conditions” so to speak, and then there is the finer point of personal control and safety according to “any possible varying road conditions” of “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.” (Matt 5:27-28)

Can you see how the observance of not only the basic law, but the higher law would protect you, your family and those you love from potential spiritual injury?  In fact, you probably don’t have to look very far to know someone personally who has suffered the devastating effects of these kinds of violations, or perhaps have suffered from them yourself.

The same things are true for all moral laws which govern society.   You could apply them to Honesty, Theft (no matter who small it might be), gossiping or backbiting, bearing false witness, or any other moral law.

Now imagine that while driving about, if everyone, instead of being so focused on just where they were going and how best it will serve them to get where they desire as quickly as possible, everyone's primary concern was to show respect for the givers of the laws and the safety of the other drivers around them to help them along their way.  This shift from selfish to selfLESS would then require far less enforcement of all the other varied traffic rules.

The same is true for moral law and commandments.  On our journey down the road of life, if instead of being motivated  by our own selfish desires and "what's in it for me", our motivations were to "Love the Lord thy God, and to Love our neighbors and fellow travelers", then the all of the lesser laws just seem to fall naturally into place without much need for enforcement. 

It does no good to point the blame at others or try to justify our own violations because of the inappropriate actions of others.  Safety begins with learning to better observe the laws individually ourselves first and foremost, and then being kind and considerate of others and helping them along their way safely.

But sometimes accidents do happen which are beyond our control.  You might be a perfectly attentive and safe driver, but someone else around you may be operating distracted, intoxicated or otherwise impaired… or just selfishly trying to put their own desires ahead of everyone else around them.  Yes, there can be innocent victims involved, and in fact our actions tend to always have some kind of effect upon other around us, whether we want it to or not.

And, it is important to remember that unless we are in the field of law enforcement, our responsibility is to simply be a law abiding citizen.  Those who are given proper authority are the ones who have the actual power to enforce the laws and rules, along with the potential fines or punishments.  There have to be police officers and judges to properly determine intent, where the fault lies and what the appropriate repercussions are in each individual case.

The same is true with spiritual or moral matters.  We are best to simply focus on learning to be “law abiding” citizens ourselves first and foremost, and leave the judging and enforcing of the laws to those who are in positions of authority.

And because we are all imperfect and all violate the law to some degree at some time or another, what a blessing it is that we can turn to the Master Physician, and Master Mechanic, Jesus Christ, to help mend that which is broken and make us whole once again so we can continue on our journey.  There will likely be a cost involved for those repairs, but His work is actually very inexpensive and absolutely complete and guaranteed if we accept His terms and conditions of repentance.  And absolutely nothing is beyond His ability to repair completely, no matter how significant the damage might be.

And His laws and rules and moral speed limits are in place, because just like that police officer told me all those years ago, Christ would say to us - “I know it might not seem fair at the moment, but the fact is, I actually care.  If you had seen the things I have seen, you would know that I only want EVERYONE to be safe and to be able to return home to Me and those they love.  That’s why the rules are in place, even for you.”

And no matter how the world or others may treat us,  the “Limits” of His love and forgiveness are truly limitless in our behalf!