Home » The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints » Current Church Doctrine » The Greatest Attribute: LOVE (An Invitation to Share, Discuss, and Develop )
| Re: The Greatest Attribute: LOVE [message #2294 is a reply to message #2235] |
Tue, 12 March 2013 03:21   |
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brrgilbert
Messages: 282
Registered: December 2012
Location: Nampa, Idaho
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Senior Member |
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I have been conducting somewhat of an experiment with my loved ones, lately. I have asked them what "perfection" means to them. I have gotten some very interesting responses and have reached a tentative conclusion. It seems to me that we really don't have a grasp of what it means to be perfect. A typical response is to be like Jesus . . . which is true . . . except when it goes beyond that and a follow-up question is asked, "What was Jesus like?" The responses get even more interesting. I have been been told that perfection is the pinnacle of being whole and complete. I ask, "In what way?" To make things short and to get to the purpose of this message, it would seem that we have this fantastic, complicated concept of what "perfection" really means and in reality, as I have learned, it is something very different from the "telestial" concept of "all encompassing."
The virtue of the Christ and His perfection centers in the ability to love wholly and unconditionally. When we as people reach this "perfection" and become a Zion society, (pure in heart,) we will have obtained the goal of Heavenly Father. There is no "cookie cutter" mold of perfection; we will not be "perfect" at twirling a ball on the end of our noses or keeping the house "perfectly" clean or being exceptional at every task . . . only and magnificently in our ability to love. I believe that Satan has been very successful at skewing and confusing what the object and goal of perfection really is.
We will not be clones of one another in a perfected state. We will have separate and distinct personalities, as we do now. We will not judge ourselves so harshly or view the glass "half empty." We will be "perfectly us" and we will love all of God's creations. Judging will be for identification and not condemnation. We will recognize and honor the true worth of every intelligence.
The Prophet Joseph Smith made the comment as found in Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith that the same sociality that exists among us here will exist among us there in the Celestial realm. I feel so bad for those who have such an unrealistic goal of perfection. They make it into something that is so unobtainable that they keep themselves out of the Kingdom of Heaven. Their hands are tied even before they sit at the meal.
The inference is; therefore, that there are those in mortality who have qualified for their calling and election and HAVE become just men made perfect and just women made perfect because of their capacity and ability to love. Each of us may have an exceptional mortal example of the magnitude of this. Such is the charter of being like Jesus.
"I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies."
The Little Prince by St. Exupery
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