Today marks my 66th lap around the track. At this age it takes me by surprise when someone asks, "What would you like for your birthday?" because I am at an age when that thought never enters my mind. I'm probably regarded as a curmudgeon at the office because there's a tradition of having a special lunch on birthdays. I decline. While some love the attention and being in the spotlight, I prefer a hot dog at Costco.
In my quiet time this morning, I came to the realization that there IS one thing I would really desire for my birthday -- and every day -- not just for myself but for my children and grandchildren. It is that we "stay on the train." That phrase was used in an Oct. 1992 conference talk titled "Spiritual Revival," by Elder Glenn L. Pace, in which he gave this wise counsel -- and it is the message I send to my posterity:
"Many of us take the blessings of the gospel for granted. It is as if we are passengers on the train of the Church, which has been moving forward gradually and methodically. Sometimes we have looked out the window and thought, 'That looks kind of fun out there. This train is so restrictive.' So we have jumped off and gone and played in the woods for a while. Sooner or later, we find it isn’t as much fun as Satan makes it appear or we get critically injured, so we work our way back to the tracks and see the train ahead. With a determined sprint we catch up to it, breathlessly wipe the perspiration from our forehead, and thank the Lord for repentance.
"While on the train, we can see the world and some of our own members outside laughing and having a great time. They taunt us and coax us to get off. Some throw logs and rocks on the tracks to try and derail it. Other members run alongside the tracks, and while they may never go play in the woods, they just can’t seem to get on the train. Others try to run ahead and too often take the wrong turn. I would propose that the luxury of getting on and off the train as we please is fading. The speed of the train is increasing. The woods are getting much too dangerous, and the fog and darkness are moving in."
We live in a world of counterfeit values -- and the thing on which this world places the greatest value is "self." We've become expert at believing the old U.S. Army slogan: "Be all you can be." Society heartily endorses the words of the Whitney Houston hit song, telling us that "the greatest love of all" is to love ourselves first. But no matter who sings it or how attractively it's packaged, that message is false doctrine.
The Lord tells us what the "greatest love" really is. It's to love God first and to put Him first above all other things -- including ourselves. It's not a question of whether certain outside interests are bad. The "badness" enters the picture -- and becomes a false god -- when material things, amusements, hobbies, and other interests replace God as our primary love.
Loving God is not just a feeling or a statement. It isn't just kindly deeds towards others. Love for God is manifest in how we regard the sacred covenants we've made with Him, It is reflected in our Church activity, and whether or not the scriptures and prayer are part of our daily lives. If we are serious about our covenants then we will be humble and submissive, seeking to know God's will for us and submitting to it, even when it's inconvenient or uncomfortable. And that's where the true test lies.
So on this birthday, the greatest desire of my heart is for my posterity to pause and remember that each of us came to this earth with a mission. Before we were born, we made certain promises to our Father regarding the way we would live when we got here. Surely, Heaven watches with disappointment when we ignore our pre-mortal commitments and do things our way instead of His way. "After all," we rationalize, "where's the harm in jumping off the train for awhile? It isn't moving all that fast, and with a little effort I can get back on whenever I want."
Please -- stay on the train. If you've jumped off, get back on. Even if it means becoming more humble and submissive to the Lord's will, do it. These things matter most -- not only to me, but to God. May we honor Him and our sacred covenants and be what He sent us here to become.
