The Weekly Parable

Have you ever ended up where you wanted to be by accident?

I’m not speaking of serendipity that just brought good things into your life, but rather about having a goal and inadvertently reaching it. Or having a destination and arriving there without knowing the possible routes.

Jesus told His apostles, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

He instructed the rich young man, “One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me” (Mark 10:21).

We cannot pick up Jesus’s cross nor follow Him without meaning to. We will not gain entrance to the Father’s presence by happenstance or coincidence. Joy D. Jones, former Primary General President in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, pointed out: “Accidental conversion is not a principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Becoming like our Savior will not happen randomly” (“Essential Conversations”).

We can’t take the attitude of Victor in the Parable of the School Counselor. Victor had a long-term desire for his life, but when it came down to it, he had no specific goals or plans, nor was he proactively taking any action to land himself where he wanted.

Mr. Reading’s question can apply to us all: “What are you doing right now that will get you there?”

Further, the questions he put to Victor about things he needed to learn represent the questions we could ask ourselves. “What do I know about the ordinances and covenants I need to enter into? What do I know about exercising faith, hope, and charity? Or virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, humility, or diligence? Loving and serving the Lord with all my heart, might, mind, and strength and an eye single to His glory? Do I know how to love and treat others the way Christ does and would? Have I developed a love for truth and righteousness? What about repenting and becoming clean through the Savior’s Atonement?”

These questions could be thought of as part of our repentance, or they could be part of repeated self-evaluation not specifically tied to seeking forgiveness for a sin. Either way, we can deliberately and intentionally become more like Christ and walk His path.

What blessings have you seen come into your life by purposefully (rather than coincidentally or conveniently) walking the path back to Heavenly Father?

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