Thirst-quenching Goodness

     I don't really know why, but the time when Jesus was talking to that Samaritan lady by the well really stuck out to me-- the symbolism of "living water" resonated in my mind and my spirit every time I heard it.


"If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee the living water" (John 4:10).

     The conversation starts of typical-- two people are at a common well, because they're both thirsty.  Now, Jesus, like the Person that He is, strikes up a conversation with a complete stranger (something good missionaries to quite often).  However, think of the conversation like this: a duke of a city talking to a sewage worker while eating at McDonald's.  The thing is, "Jews had no dealings with Samaritans" because of the ethnic differences of the two (John 4:9).

     As the talking commenced, this Man with authority offered the Samaritan lady God's Word; something a LOT of Jews would have a problem with.  And so, with Him offering her [and her family] the plan to eternal life and telling her her marital status without having met the person previously, the Samaritan woman, her mind having been blown beyond belief, went on her way home to tell everyone of this stranger that she had met (John 4:18).

      There's a couple of things here that I really liked.  Jesus Christ is shown to have unnaturally keen perception-- mind-reading at that level isn't something people can do every day.  This asserts the claim that Jesus has been endowed with power from on high enough to do something like that (and a plethora of other miracles). 

     Second, the meeting at the well and the symbolism of the living water-- a lot of people Christians complain that their pastors preach the same bible verses over and over again- with maybe a slight variation to correlate with the topic of that week in church.  The mundane repetitions of the words of the pastors, that God is love, faith will grant you eternal life, none other than Christians will be accepted into heaven, and even God hates everyone who disobeys His commandments, come from stagnant waters.  Jesus didn't teach so that people could hear the same morals over and over again.  Rather, Christ, the well of living water, taught so that His teachings weren't just universal, but could be expounded with a different perspective-- every word He had taught.

     The conversation between two people who are supposed to hate each others' guts (or at least the Jew to the Samaritan) is significant in and of itself, because of the compassion and ignorance of the false ideas of ancient discrimination.  Jesus was a man who did see the dealings of life a lot, working under His (Earthly) biological dad as a carpenter-- so He was very much aware of the hatred the Jews showed toward the Samaritans.  To have talked to one was something very VERY rare, and it quite frankly surprised the Samaritan, hearing the words of this Man talking to her.  On top of the grand scheme of this story and the moral behind it, there's another branch of a moral, sprouting from its side-- the second most important teaching of Jesus Christ is evidently portrayed here:

"Thou shalt love thy neighbor... and love your enemies" (Matthew 5:43-44).

     I might have been a bit thirsty when I found this gem of a scripture to be significant to me (as it may have been a day of fasting), but in any case, God's word is more than just a spiritual Gatorade.  It's something that'll keep you from asking for any more [figurative] water ever again.

Childlike Wildlife (Anecdote)

     Imagine yourself as a 4-year-old boy-- in a bright and sunny day inside a quiet little suburban neighborhood, you're quietly playing with some of your toys you brought out.  Wearing the denim overalls that a typical toddler would have on, you think of nothing but bliss, booty on the sidewalk, blades of grass surrounding the sides therewhich.  Life is great and worry is nonexistent.

     One hand holding a toy car, you're pushing it forward and backward, making noises that a car would make-- the best that you can at least-- "vrooms" and  "screeches" flood your mouth; overall, you're having fun playing with the one thing you so momentarily treasure.

     Playing with the toy car on the sidewalk takes a toll on the car itself as it wears away.  Soon enough, the axle unbuckles from the car frame and there's a car-- without the means to push it back and forth.  Shocked, frightened, and stricken with sadness, you do what any other toddler that age would do-- bawl.  Very loudly.  Now, if you're a more hands-on toddler, you pick up the fallen apart axle and try to fix it on the car with very little (if any) knowledge of car mechanics.  Of course, that ends up in complete failure.

     Midst the crying and the screaming, your dad comes out of the front porch, supervising your playtime all this time.  He runs toward you, sees your problem, and tells you not to worry.  With some glue, he sticks the axle back in place and soon enough, it's moving again!  Now, dad tells you to wait there for a second and runs to the shed.  He grabs a small bucket of paint and some brushes.  He gives you a brush, pops the top of the lid, dips your brush into the rich, viscous liquid, and begins guiding your hand, stroking the car gently and carefully.

     Half an hour flies by and with you now is your toy car-- except, with a paint job and its axle back in place.  You're on your way to having fun playing with it again!  Oh, what a great day it was to spend some time with your dad and learning something new!  Now, you're on the hardwood floor in the comfort of your parents' house-- knowing now that the rough pavement of the sidewalk will most likely ruin the car again.  Thanks to dad, all this could happen!

    
     Sound like anything that someone else did a long, long time ago?  Here's a reminder.

Power of Persuasion

     On a Saturday, I was privileged to be a part of a Garden Grove-wide church activity focusing on missionary work, aptly dubbed, mini-MTC.  What was interesting was how much growth there was for these 14-19 year-olds as they learned and preached the gospel to their "truth-seekers."  Now, I was able to train, so to speak, three outstanding people by the names of Brother Baird, Brother Gonzalez, and Brother Hubbard.  As they knocked on doors (in the church building), there was a familiar sense of nostalgia when I had gone through the ropes in the training center in Provo.  On top of that there were so many things that had me thinking about how young people go out with little to no knowledge of the world to preach a gospel that they may not be too familiar with.

     As the first door was knocked upon, the handle twisted and creaked went the door.  On the other side of the frame was a middle-aged woman.  The three brethren gave a pretty standard, but awkward presentation of who they were and why they were there.  Of course, they were let in.  This part of the whole "door knocking" thing surprised me.  However awkward you are in your interaction with people, as long as the other person can feel a sense of warmth, appreciation, and non-aggression, it's amazing what you can do!  I can testify to you that the Spirit of God is working in those people as the missionaries-- these teenage pipsqueaks (I'm not denying that I'm not)-- so that their words, given to them by God, can touch and convert many unto the doctrine of truth.

     Let in, these young men sat and talked about what their backgrounds were-- where her background came from.  It was again, the awkwardness extruded through their words, yet it was of no concern.  They were able to overcome-- ignore-- such a frivolous mistake and convey a message that would potentially change lives.  Albeit it wasn't the most relevant topic in the world, tailored to what the "truth-seeker" was looking for, but it would then lead into it.  From here, that's what's so amazing about the Restoration gospel of Jesus Christ.  Whatever you talk about, no matter how over the hills it may seem like, it has the potential to touch and bless any and all people no matter the circumstances.  In addition, everything is connected.  It's easy to tie in an uplifting message (or an irrelevant one) to that of the true message of God to the situation of the person.  It's so spiritual that way.  I can testify that God had made it that way.

     Now, the lesson was taught-- the Restoration of the Gospel, that is-- and these three exemplary young men were concluding this meeting.  They gave to the woman some material to mull over-- the Book of Mormon being one of them-- scheduled a return date, and were off on their ways after a prayer.  Out in the real world, it's amazing how much the Holy Ghost plays a role in teaching.  The missionaries are not the ones teaching.  It's the Spirit.  Our words do not touch you.  It's the Spirit.  That's why people want to hear our message.  the people who don't-- they're just very afraid of the changes it may bring to their worldly lives.  In an eternal perspective, this is the best stuff around.  I can testify of the life-changing potential this gospel can bring forth to the world.

     The naiveté of the teachers may be a bit much to deal with, but aside from such, they are inspired by God (the ones who seem happy all the time) to say the things that they do.  From this mini-MTC experience, I have learned one thing:  The Spirit is the teacher.  It is what will ultimately bring on the conversion of the individual.  A great teacher doesn't hurt either, though.  However, I can testify that this work of salvation, even though it's so very hard with an unruly generation, is necessary for one to enter in the realm of God-- no unclean thing can enter His Kingdom.  Faith in Christ.  Repentance of sins.  Baptism by immersion.  Receiving the Holy Ghost.  Holding strong to the faith.  They are all essential to enter the highest degree of heaven.

Are you Okay, Mr. Sky?

At the Orange Public library, there was this picture-- a painting-- I came across-- it was a little baby chicken looking up at the vividly darkish-blue sky. In the description above, the chick asks the heavens, "Are you okay, Mr. Sky?"

Although the piece of art was masterfully crafted by that of an adolescent child, never had it hit me more than any other piece of art-- that of Dali, Picasso, Ganguin. Now, this was rather profound, because it embodied the relationship of God to us.

"How the heck did you get God out of a personified chick conversing with a raincloud?" you're probably asking.

Let's break my train of thought down a bit. God-- who is He? He's our Father in Heaven. He's not our physical babydaddy, what say you, but he did create us from celestial scratch. Because of this father-son (NOT creator/subject) relationship, he loves us a ton. He rejoices with us when we're happy and he cries with us when we're sad. Now, with all that in mind, let's reexamine the picture. Imagine that the personified chick was feeling pretty down-- or sinned for some inexplicable reason. What do you think about the meaning now?

     God sees us and he has feelings just as we do-- we were given such traits from the Man who exhibits the quintessence of them!  Let's rephrase that phrase: We have feelings just as He does.  Although it may not be wholly understandable to many, even me, one may see evidence in it in this divine translation of Genesis, in the twenty-eighth verse.

Boolean Part 2

     Agency-- the ability to choose between right and wrong.  It's the most wonderful gift that He has given us and we have our authority to exercise it however we want.  However, whatever we do with it is a choice that can lead to one of two ways: fetterment and freedom.
    
     Even though we have our ability to choose between whatever we want, sweet vs. sour, yes vs. no, good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, to be vs. not to be, God generally wants us to choose what is right-- what can enable us to be happier in the long run.  Let's look at a scenario.

     Bill is a 25-year-old graduate student.  He's a rather outgoing guy who had a ton of friends.  Then, one day, during a party, a friend of his brought some drugs.  He told Bill that the drug he brought could "kick like a donkey" and make him feel like he's "out of this world--" and then offered some of the stuff to him.***  Hesitant, he declined.  Then, his friend, being the friend he is, told Bill that the first sniff would be free-- that because Bill was his friend that he would give him some "so that he could experience happiness at its fullest."  Giving into his coos, Bill takes a straw, lays down the desolately pale powder and extracts the thing with a quick inhale from his nostril.  Taking to mind what his friend said earlier, Bill experiences life like no other due to the drugs-- for a good couple of hours.  Then, he goes unconscious.  The next day, he wakes up; dazed and intrigued.  "Wow, that felt amazing!  Should I do that again?***  I think I'll try that again!"  Contacting his friend, he paid, this time, for some of the stuff and snorted it again.  And again.  And again.  "Man, this stuff is crazy!  IF I do more, I don't think it'll be good-- I think I should stop.  Wait a second.  Why isn't this strong enough?  Perhaps an upped dosage and then I'll stop."***  Weeks pass.  And then months.  Bill progressively abandons his studies, he fails his classes, he loses his job, he loses respect from family members, and isolates himself from his friends.  Now in great debt and nowhere to live, Bill wanders ceaselessly around the area where he used to live, scrounging for money wherever it may lie-- just to feel couple of hours of euphoria.  Nasal cavity rot, appearance disheveled, body and soul torn apart, he lives a homeless and a vagabond, pitied by the world around him.

     Now, I've asterisked the time where Bill could have quit right then and there this awful habit.  We are all entitled to our ability to exercise how we use our free agency.  Bill, if he would have focused not in the short term, but in the longer term, perhaps even eternal term, he would have been saved a LOT of trouble.  Each time, he was faced with a yes or no situation.  Each time, he gave in to something he knew was evidently wrong.  He exercised his free will.  God knows that.  Unfortunately, Satan knows that too.  Just because Satan doesn't have a physical body and has been cast out from heaven, he wants us to be miserable like him.  That's why he tempts us to sin.  That's why he tempts us to fall away from God.  Satan is making a concentrated attack so that our choices (or lack thereof) can lead to us being chained, bound, by his will.  If we make choices that he wants us to make, it'll make us suffer more than we should.  It isn't a great feeling.

     Agency should lead into liberty.  Liberty is a privilege given to us by God.  He knows that we don't like being forced or coerced to do anything contrary to what we want.  This is the principle of life that should govern just about everyone.  Mull this thought over.  It's simple to put, but rather complicated to think about.  Do what your gut tells you-- that's actually the light of Christ.

Boolean Part 1

     Some time ago, perhaps when you were in elementary school, can you recall your parents telling you to do something because "they said so?"  Can you then recall yourself replying with a "why?"  And then, can you see yourself being told that "if you don't do so and so, you'll either: be grounded, sent to your room, lose [cell phone] privileges, or anything like that?  Once your parents have told you that, how do you feel?

     So you probably weren't too happy to hear such a thing come out of your parents-- why would they do something so heinous to me?  Why don't they understand that I don't want to do that?  Why don't I have a say in anything?  Why would they blackmail me?  One thing to tell ya-- it's normal to feel that way.  We all feel that way.  We're built that way.

     We don't feel very good when someone takes away our ability to choose.  God has made us creatures of agency-- or free will.  If we are restricted from choices, we're evidently going to react negatively to it.  Being forced to do anything was never something God intended us to do.  God's gameplan for us was to be able to choose our destiny to return to Him-- not force us to come to Him.

     Let me sum up what happened before we were born.  We were spirits living with God before we had physical bodies.  While we were with Him, we were presented with a plan God had for us-- it was quite simple: we would be given physical bodies (because we needed actual bodies to be resurrected in), given a scapegoat for our trespasses (Jesus), tested and tried (using our own individual choices AND God didn't eliminate our personal responsibility with the Atonement) on Earth with new experiences, and then come back to Our Father in Heaven with these new bodies.  That's it.  Because of which, we were pretty happy to hear such a news.  As we have accepted this plan there, that's why we're here.

     Because of this great and marvelous plan-- the plan of redemption, the merciful plan, the plan of salvation-- we are able to return to God to be with Him.  We can make choices to do so.  God made us that way.  Agency-- the ability to choose between right and wrong.  It's the most wonderful gift that He has given us and we have our authority to exercise it however we want.