I wish I could speak with the Tongue of Angels or at least with the eloquence and enthusiasm of orators. Anyhow, I hope that my writing and words will be able to convey the things I feel and the lessons I have learned.
The Spider.
Friday, 12th of October, 2012. While I was in a meeting there was a spider running around the table. It was a small little thing, no bigger than my pinky nail. It was running along in front of me and I paid no mind to it and only glanced at it sometimes. One moment it was beside my cup and the next it was on the lip of my cup. I wasn't very worried since I had drunk the water out of the cup. I paid no attention to the spider. The next time I looked over it had fallen into the glass and was struggling in the water. *shock and horror* Behold, there was indeed water at the bottom of my glass. Apparently, I did not drink ALL the water. I would normally help struggling victims of misfortunes by somehow I figured it would survive. After all, it was a spider. They bite a boy and he turns into a spiderman! Aliens are usually shown to be Spiders! They were made to survive! Well, it continued to struggle in the shallow pool of water and I continued to disregard its plight. Finally, it stopped wiggling. Finally, it stopped fighting.
I frantically tried to save my poor spider. I separated it from the water, hoping that since there was no liquid poison surrounding it, it would arise and live again. Alas, it was too late.
As interesting as that story was, the feelings I had following that ordeal were interesting also. I was very very very sad. Especially at my inability to save the poor creature. I truly was disappointed with myself. I took this to be a lesson.
We should never allow ourselves to stand idly by as those we love and most especially those we can help are struggling, with no way out. There is not a lot of water but enough that when you're trapped, arms flailing, panic consumes, energy is wasted, and finally the last breath is drawn.
For those spiders (or people) who are wise they will avoid those things they deem are dangerous. But in this case, the spider marched on into the glass exploring and daring. It went down deeper and deeper. Note: I will personify the spider here. He probably thought, there is little water there and not enough to drown me or kill me, so I will not worry. However, he did not take into account the tall walls that wrapped around him with no foothold or rope to get to the top. Before it was too late to turn back he slipped and fell in. As soon as he was in the water he struggled to get to the sides. Once he was on the side of the glass he met with the tall wall of Jericho, but stuck on the inside. The water soon turned into a tar pit for the spider. In essence, those things we deem to be beautiful beholding from above, entice us, call us to come down, drag us down to depths unknown, soon capture us, wastes us, and destroys us.
All that glitters is not gold - J.R.R. Tolkien.
Drugs look cool to the average teenager trying to find acceptance in her group of "friends". She thinks, if everyone else is in that glass of water, we'll all survive. False! There is always enough liquid poison to go around to enslave. Do not get caught in it! The same can be said for Alcohol, Tobacco, Gambling and other addictive vices. Worst of all is Pornography and sexual addictions. Avoid that stupid glass of almost gone water because your life DOES depend on it, little spider!
Give place no more for the enemy of my soul. - 2 Nephi 4:28
Then as the silly girl who allowed the spider to die. I committed the sin of Omission as opposed to Commission. Even though I didn't put the Spider in the glass I was just as guilty because I did not bring him out. You look around at the world around you and you wonder, how can I make a difference? Easy. Stop wondering and DO something about it. It's the commonly used service opportunity example - helping an old lady cross the street. It's the smile, hello, and would you like to come to a YSA activity that counts. It is giving hope to a friend who is going through depression. It is offering love, support, and kind words to a brother who's self esteem is falling. It is a well placed letter in someone's hands. When we see a friend who is desperately trying to keeping their head above water we need to help them out of the glass OR better yet shatter those walls by marching around 7 times. HeHe. Maybe not the story of Jericho but bring those walls down by giving them the greatest gift! That is:
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
For there are times that even though we care about them we may walk away from them. For example in a toxic relationship. There are also times that we must leave. For example, best friends separated by distance. Humans may walk away some intentionally and other unintentionally but the Heavenly Father remains. Would it not be wonderful to know that as you stand up to walk away from your meeting you can glance back and see that the spider is running around freely with no tar pit of addictions to hold him down or walls of doubt and sin to hold him in. God is our everlasting Father who will always be with us. For He has said:
1 comments:
This was absolutely lovely. Like i said earlier your writing is great!
Usually when I see super long blog posts I never bother to read the whole thing, but I loved this one. This is something I'll be quoting in a church talk one day :)
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