One of the great lessons we live life to learn is to place those things that are eternal in priority over those that are transitory. The temptation to fix our attention on and trust in things that give more immediate, tangible rewards can be strong—even irresistible.
Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord warned the kingdom of Judah against taking this course when they faced an invasion of the Assyrian army. “Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces; gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us. For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Isaiah 8:9–14).
In other words, don’t succumb to the temptation to lock yourself into an alliance with the kingdom of Israel and their allies for protection—instead, rely on the Lord.
The results of living the life of a saint many times don’t come immediately, and you can’t always put your finger on them. Sometimes we have to take the long view, looking with an eye of faith toward promised blessings. At the same time, some benefits of living according to the teachings and commandments of Christ are constant, like retaining a remission of sins and receiving divine power to face life’s challenges.
Popular opinion changes quickly. The latest tech is just that until it’s superseded. Fashions are replaced every decade. It seems like money goes out of the account as fast as it comes in. The victorious feeling of a witty retort or of being right fades sooner or later. Netflix decides to drop your favorite series.
The Parable of the Social Media Influencer came out of what is probably a personal bias. I hear kids saying they want to be YouTubers when they grow up—but what a shaky foundation that seems to me to build a life on.
The principle doesn’t apply just to social media platforms. Seven or eight years ago when I was working with a group of 12-year-olds, one of them seemed to be convinced that he was destined to play in the NBA, so he didn’t have any sort of backup plan. “And what will you do if you blow out your knee?” I asked him. I’m not saying you shouldn’t have a goal, only that you shouldn’t hang your hat on something that isn’t guaranteed.
Hence the social media influencer, who saw his empire buckle and then collapse, juxtaposed with the mortician, who had and would continue to have a steady job because the need isn’t going away, at least until the final scenes of the world. A mortician’s job isn’t glamorous and doesn’t lead to fame—have you ever heard of famous morticians?—but it’s stable.
Likewise, with so much that’s uncertain and temporary in life, why would we not want to seek the One who is named the Rock of our Salvation (2 Nephi 4:30,35)? Why would we not want to gain that stability and safety? Why would we not want to live so as to enjoy the guidance and intervention of Him who sent an angel to slay 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, thus saving Jerusalem (2 Kings 19:35)?
I testify to you that the Lord is indeed immovable, and we can place our trust in Him forever (2 Nephi 4:34). He is the bedrock on which we can build our foundations and find security and peace.
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The Weekly Parable 
Amen and amen!
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