Exert yourself reflect as Jesus Christ did the Love of God.
Because of this love we find our strength to His love of God and us.
(If you don't have time to read at least watch the video at the end...)
Definitions:
Reflection; n. Act of casting back an image, as with a
mirror, or a blueprint.
In computer science it is the process which a computer
program will observe and modify its own structure and behavior.
In geometry the reflected image is always the same size, it
just faces the other way. As in a pattern for sewing.
Reflecting; v. the act of being reflected. An image;
representation or counterpart. resemble.
Synonyms with an echo.
Reflecting is a technique well worth learning
Quotes:
It’s been said that
“A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to
look like his father.”
From Lorenzo Snow we learn
“You exert a certain degree of
influence, and be it ever so small, it affects some person or persons, and for
the results of the influence you exert you are held accountable. You,
therefore, whether you acknowledge it or not, have assumed an importance before
God and man that cannot be overlooked. ”
M. Russell Ballard put it this way….
“what I say applies equally to grandmothers, aunts, sisters,
stepmothers, mothers-in-law, leaders, and other mentors who sometimes fill the
gaps for these significant mother-daughter relationships.
”If the mothers are modest so
are the girls. If the mothers wear flip-flops and other casual clothing to
sacrament meeting, so do their daughters. ..Throughout history of the world,
women have always been teachers of moral values...show them how to make good
choices. As mothers in Israel, you are your daughters’ first line of defense
against the wiles of the world.”… “When you are willing to listen and learn,
some of life’s most meaningful teachings come from those who have gone before
you. . . . How much better your life will be if you will follow the noble
example of the faithful followers of Christ
and
to not leave out the men he added: Last October I spoke to fathers and sons in priesthood
meeting, and today I have spoken mostly to mothers and daughters. In each case
my message has been different but similar. I hope you are listening and see a
pattern and hear a steady, consistent message that in these last days it is
essential—even critical—that parents and children listen to and learn from one
another. These are not just ethereal (or light) concepts about which I have
been speaking. They are the essence, the center, of God’s plan for our eternal
happiness and peace."
In searching this week for where we go to find our pattern,
blueprint, image, technique there are so many scripture stories and of course
the portrait of Jesus Christ to follow, it's His behavior, His Love of God that motivates Him,
that we are striving to reflect in ourselves as in Alma chapter 5, http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/5?lang=eng where there are about 50
questions for us to evaluate how well we are doing at exerting ourselves to
reflect His image in our countenance.
President Harold B. Lee said the sermon on the mount is
“The constitution for a perfect life”.
President Joseph Fielding Smith called the Matthew chapter 5-7 ‘the
greatest sermon that was ever preached” President Hinckley created and issued 9
B’s for us to follow in our lives I'm relating them to the beatitudes here. They being given to us by
the Savior in both the New Testament and third Nephi in the Book of
Mormon. One of the points of interest I
found in my studies this week was that
in the Matthew version He tells us to “Be perfect even as your Father which is
in heaven is perfect” (Knowing, that every thing He
did He did out of the Love that He has for both His Father and us). The difference in 3 nephi being “be perfect
even as I or your Father in Heaven is perfect.
So what things did Jesus do that perfected Him that we can
be choosing to do also?
AND seeing the multitudes, he went up into a
mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened
his mouth, and taught them, saying,
Be Grateful 1. BLESSED ARE the poor in spirit:
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Vs 3
Be Involved 2. BLESSED ARE they that mourn: for
they shall be comforted. Vs4
Be Humble
3. BLESSED ARE the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Vs5
Be Smart
4. BLESSED ARE they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: vs6
Be Positive
5. BLESSED ARE the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Vs7
Be Clean
6. BLESSED ARE the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Vs8
Be Still
7. BLESSED ARE the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of
god. Vs9
Be Smart
8. BLESSED ARE they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: vs 10and 11
Be Prayerful 9. Chapter 6 or 3 nephi 13 cease
not to pray but pray in an order pleasing to God.
If we've done or are DOING these things, have these
charater traits, which are a reflection of Jesus Christ then we are; as it states in Matthew chapter Matthew Chapter 5:
14: the alight of the world. A city that is set on an hill
cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a acandle, and put it under a bushel, but on a
candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your alight so
shine before men, that they may see your good bworks,
and cglorify your
Father which is in heaven.
The sermon continues: He teaches
them the 10 commandements and the new law of Christ which is Not only Thou
shalt not kill but now Just don’t be angry!
BEATITUDE #9!!! Be prayerful...
45 That ye amay be the bchildren of
your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and
on the good, and sendeth crain on
the just and on the unjust.
46 For if ye alove them
which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do
ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
Again he teaches us to pray and how to pray
Not to be a hypocrite in prayer or action
The importance of fasting – do it often!
And not to put material things or extracurricular
activitites as a priority
Vs 24 “no man can serve two master: for either he will hate
the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and depise the
other. Ye, cannot serve God and mammon”.
He concludes with teaching us not to judge. Again reminding
us not be hypocrites. Reminding us to
stay on the strait and narrow - and I
always like the comparison between us and trees, branches roots and fruit. Where for by their fruits ye shall know them
vs 20.
He reminds us that floaters don’t get into the celestial kingdom …
vs 21-23
Not every one that asaith unto
me, bLord,
Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that cdoeth the dwill of
my Father which is in eheaven.
I am going to come back to this.
And concludes with the image of the house in the sand or the
rock that the man or woman, teenager or child that builds his house upon a
foundation of rock which is Jesus Christ will not wash away in the storms of
life. And is says “He taught this as one
having authority…”
I like this childhood Primary song:
. Tell me the stories of Jesus I love to hear;
Things I would ask Him to tell me if He were here;
Scenes by the wayside, tales of the sea,
Stories of Jesus, tell them to me.
I’d like to just share a couple of ideas, inspirations if
you will that I felt that I learned from the study of The Sermon on the mount
or my new “program for exerting myself to reflect the love of God as Jesus
Christ did.” I like to add to it there
that he didn’t ask us to DO anything He didn’t do. I personally think that’s the best
teacher. Really there are so many
points, patterns, images it’s overwhelming thus my huge stack of talks and
scripture references … so just will focus on a few. Maybe one with the time!!!!
1.
to reflect God’s love we can’t be a hypocrite.
2.
To reflect God’s love we pray and fast often.
The Savior fasted. One way He had the spirit with him to be able to discern when satan was tempting him. In
the garden the Savior prayed "Thy Will be done", he prayed for those that
persecuted him, he knew what was happening, he was suffering life wasn’t good
right then but He said "Thy will be done".
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/26.42?lang=eng#41
3.
To reflect God’s love we do our callings over the things of
the world.
Heavenly Father knows our hearts better
than we do. My mom taught me; "Actions
speak louder than words". What are our
roots? The service that we give is the oil in our lamps. Alma chapter 5 (mentioned earlier) has like 50
questions to review asking the question "is His image in our Countenance?" What
are our priorities, our treasures, Jesus Christ picks simple, peculiar people
to do His work because He was simple and peculiar He loved doing His calling. Many Many people in the scriptures pattern, shadow, reflect the Savior and help us to understand Magnigying our callings. Today in Sunday School in Section 20 I was reminded that our callings sancitify us - how cool is that!
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/jacob/1?lang=eng (Jacob 1 and 2 great examples of this vs 19 in Chapter 1 - short version!)
4.
To reflect God’s love sometimes we shut the door. Satan has character traits that can be magnified also, they too can be found in the scriptures a great example is 2 Nephi 28:21-23
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/28?lang=eng (hate, pacify, lull, carnal, cheater,liar, deceiver,procrastinator,bondage) choose to shut the door on these character traits and darkness - Open the door to the Light...this thought brought me back to about 2006 -I taught a jr/Snr
seminary class of 24 teenagers. I’ll never forget the morning I showed the
video that goes with Matthew 25 the parable of the 10 virgins. When Ethan ask? He wouldn’t really shut the
door like that would he? I saw his face, heard his voice as I do to this
day. The answer unfortunately is Yes he will shut the door, He has warned and forewarned us, as a parent He has given us commandements to choose follow or NOT! Sometimes we make ourselves sick with guilt thinking we are being Christ Like when we are only be abused, abandoned, in someway hurting our own self esteem which in turns messes with our salvation. Sometimes, we can shut the door and reflect God's love.
Coming back to the Beatitudes...
If we use as President Benson
states “The ten commandments and the sermon on the Mount are the foundation
principles upon which all civilized government and our present civilization`1
are built . To disregard them will lead to inevitable personal character loss
and ruin. To disregard them as a nation
inevitably will lead that nation to destruction.”
It’s my prayer that we choose
daily to reflect the Love we have for God in our image as did the Savior. The we can exert ourselves to live the 9 B’s.
and that we are so prayerful that we can discern even to know when as Jesus
will do we can shut the door on friends, family, habits, when They bring us
down. A fine line between being a
peacemaker that gets used and abused and knowing this is harmful to my
salvation so I am not even reflecting the light any more. We can’t control other peoples free agency.
Use ALma Chapter 5 to evaluate and reevaluate our lives so that the door will be open and as in Alma 5:14-16
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/alma/5.16?lang=eng#15 we can answer the Lord with;
"I'm Coming" because I am a reflection of thee and you know me" I am prepared and have my oil in my lamp.
The video:
https://www.google.com/search?q=parable+10+virgins+lds+video&aq=f&oq=parable&aqs=chrome.3.0l2j57j59j61j60&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God. 
Thus I have made some changes, extreme some may say but I am having hope in the future and digging in with my Plow. This I am sure will give me more and strengthen the faith I already do have, especially in reading the scriptures, patience and Hope. The Lord's timeing is definitely not always, rarely ever my timing. But in the last year, I have learned about timing and the importance of handing it over, in Faith, after all that I can do to Him. Thy will be done.
My theme or motto for myself this year is "Exert yourself, Be Considerate!". As I read, prayed and pondered over these scriptures Saturday night I thought; to "put your hand to the Plow" is an action it is actually work, it is exerting yourself!! In my mind I see that if you aren't focused the furrows will be rough and crooked allowing weeds and pour nourishment to flow. But on the other hand to really drive forward, hold my hand to the plow exert myself I would come clean and have nourished, straight, beautiful furrows and a harvest worth the reward.
In my opinion we should look back to Remember the learning pattern so not to repeat the same mistake. As the saying goes "We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience." While treating ourselves poorly, staying down, not getting back up we are not reflecting the character of Christ. Surround yourself with positive people you trust who want to exert and dig in with you. Set goals, go back to the "primary answers" Say your prayers (get on your knees in helps in that whole humility thing!), and read your scriptures asking questions and for direction. 
I felt prompted to do something that scared me after this experience so I ask Richard to give me a Blessing. This week I've got my hand to the plow, I'm fully engaged - out with the "old me" and in with the new! No more Depression (cold turkey), I am eating healthy (14 days no Black Soda!), I am cleansing my inner self (fasting), and I plan to go outside my house (be patient with me God!) outside scares me! Confidence in yourself is sometimes very hard to grasp, I believe with God's help we can forgive ourselves, others and put our hands to the plow and exert ourselves with full confidence RIght now for me, that might just be a seed of belief, it's a process and writing this is part of that process. In the verses pervious to 62 the man makes excuses for NOT digging right in, I pray to not make excuses for myself not let the bumpy terrain throw me off course, but if it does - to grab the reins and the plow and dig in again, not looking back and falling into darkness but instead, moving forward. I hope you will too.
