In the spring we often see kites flying freely in the air. At first you assume the kite string is holding the kite down and as you hold the string you can feel the kite tugging to be set free. You imagine that if you let go of the string, the kite would soar off into the atmosphere. But in reality if you let go of the string, what happens to the kite? It plummets to the earth.
The commandments are like the kite string. They appear to others to be holding us down, keeping us from soaring, when in reality it is our obedience to the commandments that allow us to reach our highest potential as sons and daughters of Heavenly Father.
1 Nephi 2:20 - And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.
Do I keep the commandments and do I realize they are given to us by a loving Father in Heaven who wants the best for us?
Look Both Ways
by Janet G. Lee
From an address delivered at Brigham Young University on September 15, 1992.
You can just close your eyes and rush across the road. But what if you do it when a car is coming?
Janet G. Lee, ALook Both Ways, New Era, Feb. 1994, 46
My four-year-old niece Mollie was playing at her grandmother's house one day when she asked if she could cross the street to visit a favorite aunt. Mollie was cautioned to look carefully both ways before crossing. Always an inquisitive child, she questioned this procedure, so her grandmother replied, You could easily get hit by a car, and I love you so much I don't want anything to happen to you.
Before long Mollie was back. You lied to me! You said I would get hit by a car if I didn't look both ways. Well, I closed my eyes and ran over and back and a car didn't hit me!
Just as a loving grandmother cautioned a four-year-old child to look both ways before crossing a street, a loving Father in Heaven has given us detailed instructions to ensure our happiness and safe arrival at our ultimate destination. Yet we often question the consequences, or think we can get away with taking chances, so we close our eyes to some of God's commandments and cross the street of life. At such times it appears that we might not get hurt if we obey only some of God's laws. But the Lord has said, 'Keep my commandments.' He didn't say, 'Look this list over and pick out what you think applies,' or Try to work on part of these some of the time.' His instructions were simple, yet direct and unqualified 'Keep my commandments'.
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