We live in a world of pragmatists who always want to know all of the reasons why something must be done a certain way. Or demand that all the evidence of justification must be presented regardless of who or what we are asked to do for the Lord.
I fear that in this world of skeptics and pragmatists we are losing the spirit of those wonderful scriptural phrases: "I will go and do;" "I know not save the Lord commandeth me;" or "for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not." That's the spirit of dedication, of commitment, of faith that we must show to the Lord as we go about our Father's business in a significant way. This is how we say in our own lives, "Because I have been given much, I too must give."I think we must listen to the admonition of the Savior when time after time in all of the holy writ, He admonished us, "Lest ye become as a little child, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven" for He will take us by the hand and He will lead us and direct us and guide us. . . . (See 3 Ne. 28:30.)
We will be given by the Lord that which we need to be effective and worthy servants in His vineyard and as we receive, we can give and as we give, we will receive more, as He has promised
in 3 Ne. 28:30T.
So little by little we prepare ourselves for greater usefulness in His kingdom. We become more refined instruments in His hands to serve Him by serving His beloved youth. In so doing, we better prepare ourselves for our candidacy in the celestial kingdom. We acquire the oil for our lamps in preparation for the Bridegroom. President [Spencer W.] Kimball gave some great insights regarding this preparation process when he said:
"In the parable, oil can be purchased at the market. In our lives, the oil of preparedness is accumulated drop by drop in righteous living. Attendance at sacrament meetings adds oil to our lamps, drop by drop over the years. Fasting, family prayer, home teaching, control of bodily appetites, preaching the gospel, studying the scriptures - each act of dedication and obedience is a drop added to our store. Deeds of kindness, payment of offerings and tithes, chaste thoughts and actions, marriage in the covenant for eternity - these, too, contribute importantly to the oil with which we can at midnight refuel our exhausted lamps."
And so it is in our efforts to give, to serve, to show the Lord our appreciation for our blessings. A drop at a time we show greater love for our youth, we extend a hand of friendship, we reach out to the friendless, we work more harmoniously with our peers, we join hands with priesthood leaders, we more diligently study the scriptures, and through these efforts we show appreciation, we more effectively serve and we refuel our exhausted lamps.
