Brothers and Sisters, ALOHA!
I am grateful for that kind introduction and grateful to President Wheelwright for the invitation to participate in this Devotional.
I know many of you; and on rare occasion I have had a wonderful glimpse into your heart and to learn of your righteous desires. Have you asked yourself what it is in all the world that you want the most? With our limited vision of our mortality, we may not really know what we want most.
Elder James E. Talmadge tells of this experience: "A wild bee from the neighboring hills once flew into the room; and at intervals during an hour or more I caught the pleasing hum of its flight. The little creature realized that it was a prisoner, yet all its efforts to find the exit through the partly opened casement failed. When ready to close up the room and leave, I threw the window wide, and tried at first to guide and then to drive the bee to liberty and safety, knowing well that if left in the room it would die as other insects there entrapped had perished in the dry atmosphere of the enclosure. The more I tried to drive it out, the more determinedly did it oppose and resist my efforts. Its erstwhile peaceful hum developed into an angry roar; its darting flight became hostile and threatening.
"Then it caught me off my guard and stung my hand--the hand that would have guided it to freedom. At last it alighted on a pendant attached to the ceiling, beyond my reach of help or injury. The sharp pain of its unkind sting aroused in me rather pity than anger. I knew the inevitable penalty of its mistaken opposition and defiance; and I had to leave the creature to its fate. Three days later I returned to the room and found the dried, lifeless body of the bee on the writing table. It had paid for its stubbornness with its life.
"To the bee's short-sightedness and selfish misunderstanding I was a foe, a persistent persecutor, a mortal enemy bent on its destruction; while in truth I was its friend, offering it ransom of the life it had put in forfeit through its own error, striving to redeem it, in spite of itself, from the prison-house of death and restore it to the outer air of liberty." Are we so much wiser than the bee that no analogy lies between its unwise course and our lives?
Much of the doctrine taught in the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon is directed to the blessings of the Birthright, typically inherited by the oldest son in the Patriarchal Order.
The birthright blessing included three principle components:
1. The promise of posterity in this world and forever.
2. Inheritance including lands and/or dominions; literally to become a king over his posterity.
3. The power to pass these blessings on to future generations; that is, to become a Priest in the Holy Priesthood of God and administer to the spiritual needs of his posterity.
Picture the significance of this blessing. In a tribal society, as was headed by Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and so many others, the birthright blessing was the apex of spiritual and temporal success in this life and the promise of even greater success in the next. And it was much sought after. Yet, the scriptures are full of examples of men eligible to receive the birthright blessing but they lost their birthright. How was it lost and why should you care about it?
The Book of Mormon described most succinctly how birthright blessings are lost: "...fear God-he will justify in committing a little sin; yea lie a little, take advantage of one because of his words, dig a pit for thy neighbor; there is no harm in this: ...if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes and at last we shall be saved in the Kingdom of God." [2 Ne 28:8].
Cain was the firstborn son of Adam and Eve after they received the fullness of the Gospel. Eve rejoiced because of the prospect that her firstborn son would succeed as patriarch of the family. Cain was born in the covenant. In our day, we would say he was the one who went to seminary and priesthood meeting with his father. He grew up in the Church. He had knowledge of the sacred doctrines of exaltation. He would be heir to the blessings of posterity, lands and dominions [even all the earth] and the Priesthood power to administer ordinances and perpetuate the Gospel to his posterity. This blessing would not only have made Cain king and priest over all the then known world but would continue forever as part of his heavenly kingdom.
Cain was a farmer but his younger brother Abel was a shepherd. When commanded to offer a lamb as a sacrifice to God, Cain, hearkening to the temptations of Satan, became resentful. Cain was proud and jealous of his brother Abel. Why should he have to go to his little brother for a lamb for the sacrifice? Wasn't the produce of his fields just as good as the flocks of Abel? Rather than keep the commandment of the Lord exactly, he justified himself in offering the fruit of his field as a sacrifice instead of a lamb. He knew it was wrong but he justified it: "fear God-he will justify in committing a little sin." Even though he had entered into the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood, he turned away from the covenant saying, "Who is the Lord that I should know him." (Moses 5:16, 18). Cain, consumed with selfishness and arrogance, put his foot on that slipper path descending downward to misery. He lost his birthright which was given to his younger brother Abel.
The Patriarch Isaac had two sons, Esau was the oldest and Jacob his younger brother. By right, Esau was the designated heir of the birthright. When these brothers were young, Esau returned from a hunting trip and was very hungry. Jacob, as it happens, had just finished preparing pottage; which was a lentil soup. Esau demanded some of the pottage and Jacob agreed but only on the condition that Esau would exchange it for his Birthright blessing. Esau, was young, inexperienced and any value to the birthright seem like lifetimes in the future. He did not regard the birthright as of more value than his immediate desire to be fed in his hunger. He agreed by oath to give the birthright to Jacob.
Why did Esau sell his birthright so cheap? He was not starving. The Bible account tells us that Esau "did eat and drink, and rose up and went his way." Esau was consumed with self pity. He wanted food and he wanted it now. Thus, the scriptures say, "Esau despised his birthright." Long before the birthright was to be awarded, Esau had put his foot on that slippery path descending to misery. Except for Esau's loss of the birthright, we may have traced our lineage through Abraham, Isaac and Esau.
So why should you interested in this birthright, Esau being long-dead? Because God has offered the birthright to you. Through temple ordinances every man and woman can receive the birthright blessing. D&C 84:33-39 says as follows: "For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods of which I have spoken, and the magnifying their calling, are sanctified by the Spirit unto the renewing of their bodies. They become the... seed of Abraham and the elect of God... And he that receiveth my Father receiveth my Father's kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him. And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood."
What are the blessings promised here?
1. Inheritance, namely "my Father's kingdom." Literally to become a King.
2. Posterity, namely they become the seed of Abraham and heir to his blessings of posterity, now and forever.
3. Priesthood power to pass these blessings on. Literally to become a Priest to God.
Lest the women in this gathering think this applies only to the men, think again. The blessing of posterity cannot be achieved by man alone and no man will realize the birthright blessings unless he is accompanied with an equally faithful and capable wife, sealed in the New and Everlasting Covenant. The birthright blessings are conferred in the temple upon all who take upon them the New and Everlasting Covenant and keep it. This is your birthright. It is promised to you and Satan will do everything in his power to get you to trade it away as he did with Cain, Esau and others.
So, what will you trade for it? Will you defile your ordinances like Cain? Will you trade for a mess of pottage like Esau? You say absolutely not! But Satan never sleeps. Consider the slippery path downward represented by Satan's whisper that "God will justify in committing a little sin."
Balaam was a famous prophet. He lived at the time Moses was bringing the Children of Israel through the desert to the promised land of Canaan. The sudden appearance of a huge throng of more than a million Israelites in the borders of Moab made the Moabite king very nervous. He contracted with the neighboring Midianites to launch a preventive war against Israel. However, the risk of attacking Israel was great. So the King of Moab sent messengers to Balaam. He thought that since Balaam was a prophet of the same God as Moses, Balaam could be persuaded to obtain God's curse against Israel.
The messengers went to Balaam in the land of Haran and explained their problem. They asked Balaam to curse Israel that they may be driven out of the land of Moab. Balaam was puzzled but he said he would ask God. He did ask and he got a revelation; which proved he was in fact a prophet. The revelatory message from God was "thou shalt not curse Israel for they are blessed."
The king did not receive this report with happiness but he was not about to give up. He sent his messengers back and invited Balaam to come to his palace where he would bestow upon Balaam great honor. Remember that God had already spoken on this subject. The answer was no. But Balaam told the messengers to wait overnight while he pondered on the invitation to go to the Moabite king. Note well, though the scripture does not say it, Balaam was THINKING "God will justify in committing a little sin". Besides a free vacation in Moab might not be all that bad. When morning came, he decided to go to Moab but he declared unconvincingly, "I can do nothing if God does not will it".
When in Moab, the king offered Balaam gold, fine clothes, and an important position in his kingdom. The offer was just too tempting. Maybe God could be persuaded to change his mind. Balaam arranged for twelve altars to be built and twelve oxen to be sacrificed and then he pleaded with the Lord to let him curse Israel. You know what happens when God says no and you keep asking. God does not change his mind.
Remember what happened when Joseph Smith wanted to give the 116 translated pages of the Book of Mormon to Martin Harris? Martin begged Joseph for the pages to quiet his complaining wife and make it easier to raise the money for the printing of the Book of Mormon. The Lord said no; but Joseph kept asking on the part of Martin Harris. At last free agency prevailed and the pages were lost; which precipitated a crisis in Joseph's relationship with the Lord.
Even so it was with Balaam. He kept tempting the Lord to curse Israel; not only once but again and again. But the heavens were silent. In exasperation, the king told Balaam that the deal was off and the wonderful promise of wealth and power was to be withdrawn. Now what should a prophet of God do in such a situation? What would you do? You want to say, goodbye king, and march off to the safety of your covenant with the Lord. The problem was that Balaam had put his foot on that slippery path downward and he could not ignore the king's offer. "God will justify in committing a little sin." That path is so slippery!
Balaam told the king, I cannot curse Israel for God will not permit it. BUT I CAN TELL YOU HOW TO DO IT! Cast a stumbling block before Israel [Rev. 2:14] and send the fair daughters of Midian to the camp of Israel to induce the youth of Israel to come to the licentious ceremonies of their heathen gods. The plan worked; and for adultery, Israel was plagued with a terrible disease which wiped out 24,000 Israelites.
Moses was shocked and soon discovered why the Lord had cursed Israel. The offenders among the Israelites were slain and Israel sent an army of vengeance against Moab and Midian.
Israel destroyed the cities of Moab and Midian. Upon final destruction of the great city in Midian, who do you suppose they found in the center of the king's camp? Balaam! There he was trying to protect his wealth and position among the heathens. He lost his life that day to the sword of Israel, but much more serious, he lost his priesthood, his posterity for eternity and his inheritance. He had traded his birthright for a few weeks of "the honors of men." It was the seduction of "God will justify in committing a little sin" that led Balaam to enter that slippery path downward and once sliding, there was only freefall to his temporal and spiritual destruction.
When I served as a mission president in this wonderful Hawaii Honolulu mission, I noted a significant problem that was eroding the work and determination of missionaries. Many families of the missionaries came to Hawaii for vacation and they often wanted to stop by to visit "their" missionary. Sometimes it took a month to get the missionary's mind back on his missionary work with the intensity that he had had before the visit.
I wrote a letter to the parents of the missionaries in the mission. I asked the parents not to plan a trip to Hawaii while their son or daughter was serving a full time mission here; and if they must come for vacation, please do not plan to see the missionary.
One day I got a phone call from a truly excellent missionary. It was obvious he was much distressed. He told me that during breakfast, there was a knock on the door of his apartment and to his shock, standing on the porch was his mother and his father... and his sibling brothers and sisters... and his girlfriend. They wanted to take him and his companion for a brief sightseeing trip and lunch. The missionary said: "mom, you can't be here!" She said, "Oh, I know. The mission president wrote me a letter about that, but he really didn't mean it, did he?"
"God will justify in committing a little sin," right? Consider the risk that mother incurs as she puts her foot on that slippery path downward. What does she teach her son? Consider the risk that she would invite her son and his companion to join her on that slippery path.
Sister Workman and I were in the country of Ivory Coast on Church assignment when a rebellion broke out in the country. The rebels overran a significant part of the country to the North including the city of Bouake, where we had several branches of the Church and 10 young missionaries. We and the mission president were alarmed because these missionaries were at risk to be involuntarily impressed into the rebel army, if not shot as a combatant. After some anxious days, we learned that the French government was sending in an armed convoy to evacuate the numerous French citizens who lived in Bouake. We arranged with the French consulate to evacuate the missionaries at the same time. They were great about it and agreed to help us.
The missionaries were contacted through a local branch president and told to dress in their missionary attire and meet at the extraction point at the appointed time. The missionaries showed up and were recognized by the French soldiers-all except two of them. Two of these missionaries decided that they did not want to dress in missionary clothes. They wore their "mufti" or preparation day clothes. Maybe they were just stubborn, or maybe they thought they knew more than the mission president or maybe they just acted stupidly, but they knew the rules and they intentionally refused to follow them. "God will justify in committing a little sin," right? The French officer in charge saw them line up and demanded they leave or be shot, accusing them of being rebels and trying to infiltrate the South. He said he knew LDS missionaries by their dress and appearance and he could see these two young men were not missionaries.
Of course the two missionaries dashed to their apartment; changed as they should have in the first place and returned only to discover the French convoy had left. For many weeks they hid in their apartment, never coming out. Food was brought by faithful Church members to keep them alive. At long last, a faithful branch president came in the middle of the night, told them to grab only what they could carry in their backpacks and come with him. He walked them through the jungle for 72 hours without food or clean water until they could cross the battle lines into the South zone and safety.
Happily, the missionaries were safe from the rebels. But are they safe from evil? They had stepped onto that slippery path downward, risking both their physical and spiritual lives.
What about you? Have you heard Satan's whisper: "God will justify in committing a little sin?" Is your foot on that slippery path downward?
How do you spend the Sabbath Day? When you are alone with your computer screen, what do your permit your eyes to linger on? When you speak of others, do you uplift or dig a pit for them?
There may be some of you who are returned missionaries. You have made sacred covenants in the House of the Lord. Satan may whisper to you. It may go like this:
1. We are going surfing today so we don't wear the sacred garment because we are going to the beach and it is inconvenient to replace it right after, especially if we are going to hang out for a while.
2. The loss of the protection resulting from the breach of that covenant puts your foot on a very slippery path downward. Next you find yourself with a lovely young woman and you are looking for a dark place-not to do anything really serious but, you know, maybe take some improper liberties. She is reluctant but you want adventure and she is very anxious to avoid offending you. "God will justify in committing a little sin," right? How slippery the path downward!
3. Your bishop invites you in for an interview. You do not want to tell him everything you did and besides it is not that big of a deal anyway, is it? "God will justify in committing a little sin," right?
4. The lie to the bishop that follows becomes the slippery path downward that cost Cain his birthright, cost Balaam his birthright and could cost you yours.
You may think that in the end you can repent and marry in the temple and nobody will be the wiser. This is where the slippery path downward reaches bottom. The way you obtain your birthright blessing is recorded in D&C 76: The birthright blessing is available only upon those who are "sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise." You might be able to fool your friends, maybe you can fool your bishop, perhaps you can fool your trusting and faithful parents-but you can NEVER fool God. Those who think they can short cut to their birthright will find they have traded it, as did Esau, for a mess of pottage. Then "the devil laughs, and his angels rejoice."
You are a chosen generation, a Royal Priesthood. Every man and woman within the sound of my voice is a candidate for the birthright from God. Think of it! Kingdoms, dominions, worlds without number; family sealed to you forever together with a fullness of joy for you and them; and it never ends.
Heaven has showered you with special opportunities for protection that your birthright may be realized. You have been privileged to come forth in this generation where the fullness of the Gospel is on the earth. You have entered into the sacred covenant of baptism. You attend one of the few institutions of higher education on the entire earth, where you can be taught in an atmosphere of righteousness. There are many hands to guide you to the window of freedom and safety. Each of you has a faithful Bishop and Stake President and capable professors and instructors in this University to help you avoid that slippery path downward. Will you act like the bee and rebel against every effort to aid in your rescue?
I know the birthright blessing will be sealed upon all those who strive diligently to be obedient to sacred covenants. I know that if you remain faithful in the little things, you will avoid the slippery path downward. I know that the key to joy in this life and the next is to never, never give up what you want most for what you want right now.
My dear brothers and sisters. I want you to know from the bottom of my heart that the Lord Jesus Christ lives and he knows you and loves you. He will be the hand to guide you to the path of freedom and eternal life. Will we sting the hand that guides us, by ignoring-or worse-consciously breaking the commandments of God, under the Satan-inspired doctrine that God will permit sin and "justify a little sin?"
I leave you my blessing, that if you will hearken unto the word of God and remember your covenants, every time that an opportunity for choosing comes to be, every time that the choice comes before you in which you know that you shouldn't make that choice, never justify it! And if you don't, I leave you my blessing that you will be filled with the Spirit of the Lord, and that the Birthright blessing will come to you in knowledge, in power, and in sacred ordinance.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.