Aloha, my young brothers and sisters, as well as you older ones. It is great to be back on campus. I hope you realize what a special blessing it is for you to attend this Church-sponsored institution of higher education. Many have contributed and sacrificed so that you can enjoy the opportunity to learn and to grow both academically and spiritually here.
As my wife mentioned, I was a student here just a few years ago in the school of education. Some of you may even have had the misfortune of being in the same class as me. But whatever the case may be, when I compare my undergraduate education at Cornell University to the education I received here, the professors here are far better in many respects. You here at BYU-Hawaii do not have to take a back seat to anyone else from any institution.
The title of my talk today is “Just Because.” However, it isn’t what you are probably thinking. I will not be lecturing you by telling you “just because I said so.” Instead, I would like to focus on the simple concept that “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”
When I was 3 or 4 years old during my “hanabata” days, I remember my mom ironing in a side room with our black and white TV on late at night. During the summer, we used to turn the house lights off at night to keep the termites away. When the termites were really swarming, we would turn on a directional lamp and shine it into a big bucket of water. The termites would fly into the water and drown. As kids, my siblings and I would also run out whenever the DDT misting truck would come around and chase after the truck so we could be in the cool mist that it sprayed. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. But that was life in Hawaii during the 1960’s.
One night when my mother was ironing the clothes, our old, black rotary telephone rang in the other room. She got up to answer the phone and as she was leaving the room, she told me “don’t touch the iron, it’s hot.” Now what 4 year old would ever think of touching a hot iron . . . unless they were given that idea by an adult? It sounded like an intriguing concept in my young mind, so because I had the opportunity while my mom was in the other room, of course I went up and touched the iron! As you can imagine, I burned the palm of my hand. Back in those days, the remedy for such burns was to mash a raw potato and stick my hand in it. I am not sure if the remedy worked, but I never forgot the lesson. I learned that just because you can touch a hot iron, doesn’t mean you should.
As I grew older, I continued to be taught that same important lesson in different contexts. When I was 14 or 15, my older brother thought I should learn to drive. Without any training at all, he threw me the keys and told me I needed to drive him to the store. Everything was going fine until we started heading home and needed to make a right turn at a main intersection. Unfortunately, a police officer was turning left from the opposite direction at the same time and I ran him out of the single lane we were in. I learned quickly that just because you can drive without training or a license doesn’t mean you should. I also learned about the principle of mercy that day when the police officer let me off the hook.
Later, when I was 16 and in high school, I began working at my first job. Like many of my classmates back then, I was as a seasonal worker at the pineapple cannery during the summer. I worked the grave shift from 11 p.m. until 7 in the morning. Right after work, some of us would head off to the beach, just because we could. I had an old beat up car, I had money for gas, I had time, I had willing friends and the south shore usually had surf during the summer. But what I didn’t think about is how tired I would get doing it day after day. One day, the surf when was big, I was exhausted but went out anyway (just because I could) and was held under by the whitewash from a large wave. I thought I was going to drown and was never so happy as when I finally got to the top and took a deep breath. I learned that just because you can go out in big surf when you are exhausted doesn’t mean you should.
I did these dumb things because I had the freedom and ability to do them. Now, you are at a point where you can do all kinds of things because you have the opportunity and means to do them.
Whether you are a new freshman or an upper class student, the university experience is a unique time in your life full of new opportunities to do whatever you might want to, just because you can. Most if not all of you are finally out of the nest, away from your parents and the communities you were raised in. If you are already 21, society views you as an adult. You have the right to make important decisions for yourself without having to seek your parents’ or anyone else’s consent.
College is often a liberating time full of new freedom. Whatever this time holds for you, one fact is clear: no one is on your case telling you what you need to do. You can sleep in past your 1 pm class, you can go to the beach whenever you feel like it, you can put off your term paper until the night before it is due, you can eat cookies for every meal or you can eat anything you can afford, and you can stay up all night playing video games even before your big exam. But just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
With freedom to choose comes associated consequences. As the saying goes, “when you pick up one end of a stick, you pick up the other as well.” You can make choices for yourself, but you also bear the responsibility and consequences of those your choices. If you have blamed adults in the past for the unfair things in your life, you can no longer do so. You have the ability to control major events in your life.
Now doing things without taking the time to analyze their consequences can be dangerous. There is something called the Darwin Awards that recognizes, usually posthumously, those people who demonstrate such a lack of sense that makes you wonder how they survived so long. They do things so outrageously idiotic that they seem to make a case for Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection.
A few examples of Darwin award winners include:
• Lawnchair Larry, an American truck driver who took flight in a lawnchair to which he tied 45 helium filled weather balloons. He reached the altitude of 15,000 feet before floating into the airspace of the Los Angeles airport. All he had was a pellet gun to shoot the balloons to bring him back down. Amazingly, he survived and was able to land his lawnchair. When he did, he was immediately arrested and fined by the FAA. When asked why he did it, he replied that “a man can’t just sit around.” Just because you can make a homemade aircraft, doesn’t mean you should.
• There is also the Canadian lawyer, Garry, who in 1996 decided to demonstrate the safety of windows in a downtown Toronto skyscraper to visiting law students by running full speed into the window shoulder-first. Instead of stopping him as it had in the past, the window gave way and he crashed through the pane of glass and plunged twenty-four floors to his death. He learned the hard way, that just because you can push safety features to their limits, doesn’t mean you should.
• Then there is the Croatian college student who in 2001 was juggling real hand grenades at a party and dropped one, which promptly exploded and killed him and injured six students watching him. In an instant, he and his audience learned that just because you can play with live ordnance, doesn’t mean you should.
Of course these Darwin award winners all shared a common characteristic: just because they could engage in reckless behavior, they did. I trust, however, that unlike such Darwin winners, you here at BYU-Hawaii would never engage in such reckless behavior.
You are highly educated. Your 13 or so years of elementary and secondary education have prepared you in subjects such as English, Social Studies, Science, and my personal favorite, Math and logic. In addition, you are now taking college level courses. These are all intended to help you meet life’s challenges in the future so that will not make decisions that will jeopardize your health or safety.
You also are clear thinking adults. Your brain’s frontal lobe is nearly fully developed. The prefrontal cortex area of your frontal lobe controls such things as problem solving, impulse behavior, foreseeing and weighing possible consequences of behavior, and planning.
Consequently, just because you can jump off Laie Point without knowing where the rocks are below the surface, doesn’t mean you would, right? Or just because you can hike the closed Sacred Falls trail or the Stairway to Heaven in the middle of the night doesn’t mean you would, right? Just because you can go to Sandy Beach to body surf when it’s huge even if you have never gone there before, doesn’t mean you would. Or just because you can go wandering into the Koolaus without a map or proper gear doesn’t mean you would. I have confidence that you understand the principle of just because you can doesn’t mean you should when it comes to extreme physical activities.
Today, however, although there is risk in extreme physical activities, the greater risk to each of us lies in our spiritual choices. Satan is using advances in technology, changes in cultural values, and the growing secularization of society to tempt all of us, especially youth and young adults, into becoming recipients of spiritual Darwin award. Spiritual challenges that have increased exponentially during the past few decades because of changes in technology and society, include what President Monson terms the “three demons” of pornography, immodesty and immorality. Also on the rise has been same-sex attraction and prescription drug addiction. In society, it seems that just because people can turn away from God, traditional values and the gospel, they are doing so in droves. Who knows what new temptation the adversary will come up with next?
Many of you are confident in your ability to make wise spiritual choices. I know that many of you have been raised in the Church, you know by heart the words to I Am a Child of God, your parents have pictures of the temple in their living room, you can recite the YW and AP purposes or theme in your sleep. You have also gone through four years of seminary, and are taking the mandatory religion classes here.
But have the gospel principles that you have been taught really been learned? Have you developed a love for the Word of God and have you internalized the universal truths in the scriptures that will provide you with all of the answers to even your most difficult questions and keep you from making wrong choices? Have you really learned that spiritually just because you can, doesn’t mean you should?
The Savior knew how things would be for us in these latter days and has given us guidance on how to deal with them. Much of that guidance is in the scriptures.
In the Old Testament, I hope you can see the principle that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should:
• In the life of Lot’s wife, who just because she could turn around and look on Sodom and Gomorrah, did so out of her desire for worldly things despite the Lord’s warning, and was turned to a pillar of salt; or
• in the life of Esau, who just because he could give up his birthright to satisfy his hunger, he did so for a bowl of porridge, to his eternal regret; or
• in the life of Samson, who just because of his great power could choose to love the Philistine, Delilah, he did so to his eventual emasculation as she cut his hair and robbed him of his strength; or
• in the life of King David, who just because he was king and could sit on his rooftop satisfying his lust by staring at Bathsheba while she was bathing, did so to his utter downfall.
While the Old Testament is filled with colorful stories that teach this principle, I hope you also have learned from the pages of the other scriptures and Church history that “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”
In the Book of Mormon we see that:
• Laman and Lemeul, who just because they could rebel because they had loving parents who allowed them to exercise their agency, did so and are still known as chronic whiners and as prime examples of who not to be like; or
• King Noah, who just because he had absolute power and could have the prophet, Abinadi, killed because he was critical of the king and his court, did so to King Noah’s everlasting destruction in flames;
• And the last of the Nephites, who just because they were tough and strong (and were good at ultimate fighting) could reject God’s counsel and wage war with the Lamanites, did so and were ultimately and completely destroyed.
In the days of the Doctrine & Covenants during the early history of the Church, we learn of:
• the compelling story of the lost 116 pages of manuscript, where just because Martin Harris could hound Joseph to let him show his wife the pages, he did so and she promptly lost the manuscript to Martin’s and Joseph’s horror; or
• Symonds Ryder, who just because he could be easily offended, left the restored church because someone misspelled his name by using an “i” in Ryder instead of a “y”; or
• Thomas B. Marsh, who just because he was an apostle and could take offense at the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. for siding with a Sister Harris against Sister Marsh in a petty dispute over some cream from a shared cow, did so and was eventually excommunicated (it is interesting to note that had Bro. Marsh not made that choice, he and not Brigham Young could have succeeded Joseph Smith Jr).
And finally in the New Testament, I just want to raise one example, and it is not Judas Iscariot, since you all know of the eternally bad choice that he made just because he could. Instead, it is the example of the rich young man, who just because he had great wealth and a comfortable life could turn down the Savior’s invitation to give away all he had and follow Jesus, did so to what I am sure was his eternal regret and to Christ’s great sorrow.
The list goes on and on. The scriptures seem to shout out that just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Or you run the risk of ending up like Laman and Lemuel, Thomas Marsh, Samson, Lot’s wife, or those who rejected the Savior and called for his crucifixion.
Despite the countless examples in the scriptures, it seems that even in the environment here in the BYU-Hawaii community, the lesson still goes unheeded by some:
• Just because you are excited about your major and eager to go out and start making money in a career and can choose to forego your mission, doesn’t mean you should . . . if you are a worthy young man.
• Just because you can stop studying the scriptures regularly because you are no longer on your mission doesn’t mean you should;
• Just because you can go clubbing and break the word of wisdom without getting caught, doesn’t mean you should;
• Just because you can easily view pornography or gamble on your electronic devices, doesn’t mean you should;
• Just because you can break the law of chastity with a willing partner, doesn’t mean you should; and
• Just because you can fool or lie to your bishop or stake president doesn’t mean you should.
Spiritually, I hope you can see that just because you can doesn’t mean you should. There are infinite paths you can take spiritually, but the Savior has said in Matthew 7:13 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.” Just because we can take many of the paths on the broad way, doesn’t mean we should.
So far I have been talking about bad choices people make just because they could. If we focus too much on the many things that we shouldn’t do, we can end up with a distorted view of life. Paranoia can set in as we worry about the myriad ways we can mess up.
The Savior, however, gives us clear direction not just on the things we shouldn’t do, but more importantly on the things that we should do. From the scriptures we learn of those who chose to do the right thing, even though they could have chosen the broader way:
• Joseph with the coat of many colors, who chose not to be seduced by Potiphar’s wife so he could remain true to God, even though it meant possible death or going to prison; or
• Esther, chose not to turn her back on her people, and instead petitioned the King on behalf of the Jews, despite the risk of being put to death for approaching the King when she had not been summoned; or
• Joseph Smith Jr., who chose not to recount his testimony or the First Vision and instead submitted himself to the authorities in Carthage, despite facing his sure martyrdom; or
• The latter-day pioneers,who chose not to remain in the familiar confines of Nauvoo while abandoning their religion, and instead elected to follow the prophet Brigham Young and make their trek out West to preserve the gospel and the Church, despite the great hardships and death they faced.
While you may not face death or injury for choosing to do what is right, we can see through these examples that just because you can, will mean that at times you will have to deny yourself of things that you may be tempted to do.
The greatest examples of this, of course, was set by Jesus himself. In Matthew 4, we read that after fasting for 40 days and nights and communing with God in the wilderness, Jesus was tempted by Satan. He chose not to give in to the desires of the flesh by turning stones into bread despite his long fast and sure hunger. He also chose not to succumb to the temptations of Satan to his pride to throw himself off the pinnacle of the temple and let the angels save him. Finally, he chose not to seek after the wealth and power of the kingdoms of the world as Satan would have him do, and instead cast Satan aside.
But some of you may be thinking, of course Jesus could do that He is perfect, He is the Son of God. If you are thinking this, you are right. He didn’t have to let Satan tempt him, just like He didn’t have to suffer the pains of Gethsemane or his cruel crucifixion on the cross. But He did, and it was all for our sake, our salvation and our possible exaltation.
He allowed it in part so that He could better know how to succor us in our times of when we are tempted to do things just because we can. Alma 7:12 explains this when it says, "And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."
It is instructive that the word “succor” comes from a Latin word that means “to run to the aid.” Christ endured the temptations of Satan and the grief and agony of Gethsemane and the cross so we would know that He understands what each of us is going through and that He will run to our side to help us overcome any temptation; great or small.
Christ endured all things so that we could be here today and exercise our agency to do the things that we should. So just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. However, rather than focusing on all the things we shouldn’t do even though we can, I believe that Christ would have us focus on the things we should do instead; even when such things may in our minds be inconvenient, difficult or embarrassing.
A loving Heavenly Father in His wisdom, has provided us with the Church, the scriptures, living prophets, priesthood leaders and especially the Holy Ghost to help us know what we should do in any given situation we might face.
At this point in your life, I urge you to associate with like-minded peers who share the common beliefs and values of the gospel, and to stay in close contact with a loving bishopric that will have you as their focus. I would also hope that you persist in seeking spiritual nourishment on a daily basis and keep yourself worthy so you can always enjoy the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.
Joseph Smith Jr. in the Wentworth letter: “no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
God’s work will go on. Will you contribute to building His kingdom on earth or will you become a spiritual casualty? The choice is yours as you move forward with your adult life. My hope and prayer is that you choose to be a part of that great eternal work by doing only the things that you really should do, while remembering that just because you can, does not mean you should.
But just because you should will always mean that you can with the Lord’s help.
I know that this principle is true. Believe it or not, I was once young, trim and fit like you. Also like yourselves, my future was an open slate. As a young lawyer in Chicago, the opportunities were grand and expansive. When my wife converted to the gospel, however, it changed our lives. As we learned to make right choices, we also learned that just because we could do things didn’t mean we should. By following principles we learned in the gospel and by listening to the Spirit, I have seen the many great blessings and tender mercies we have received from the Lord. We ended up moving from the big town of Chicago with the big salaries and big opportunities to return home to be closer to our families. I was also led to leave the practice of law after a quarter of century to teach 9th graders math at Waianae High. And just a few months ago, I was blessed with the opportunity to work with CES and the Seminaries and Institutes of Religion department. In the eyes of the world, our life may not glamorous, I am not be powerful, we are not wealthy, but our joy could not be fuller in our family, friends and what we have been blessed with.