Consider the Lilies of the Field

[Anddenex]

Do to my weakness in writing, I am hoping I can efficiently get my point across, and would be grateful to others thoughts pertaining to this scripture, and my question.

D&C 84: 82 (81-84), "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin; and the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory, are not arrayed like one of these."

Each time I read this verse my mind ponders, yet even in all the glory of some of these lilies, there are lilies which do not receive proper nourishment, proper care, and even though the Lord knows what they stand in need of, they wither and die.

What then is the comparison in your mind, heart, and spirit?

[pam]

I know this doesn't answer your question at all but I just have to share this. Consider the Lilies is one of my absolutely favorite songs.

And you can see our very own HiJolly at 3:20 into the video.

[Anddenex]

I know this doesn't answer your question at all but I just have to share this. Consider the Lilies is one of my absolutely favorite songs.

Yes, it is a great song :)

[Guest gopecon]

IMHO you might be overthinking the verse. The Lord was giving comfort to his servants that are sent out; that He will provide. I think that sometimes we (myself included) can overthink analogies to the level that we miss the basic point that was intended. Sometimes there are only so many levels of depth intended with parables and analogies.

[Tough Grits]

D&C 84: 82 (81-84), "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin; and the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory, are not arrayed like one of these.

This scripture reminds me that one simple flower belonging to God is more glorious than any kingdom made by man.

This scripture reminds me that my "glory" comes not from what or who the world tells me that I am, but from what my Father in Heaven says I am and whose I am.

[mordorbund]

Do you have a yard? If so, take a look at the wildflowers (you know, those things you keep trying to kill) that spring up without any effort on your part (or look at the ones that grow on the side of the highway). Forget that they are classified as "weeds" and just enjoy the aesthetic. If these can blossom in the worst of circumstances (side of the highway indeed!) then surely you will be clothed sufficiently in your mission.

[Bini]

Do you have a yard? If so, take a look at the wildflowers (you know, those things you keep trying to kill) that spring up without any effort on your part (or look at the ones that grow on the side of the highway). Forget that they are classified as "weeds" and just enjoy the aesthetic. If these can blossom in the worst of circumstances (side of the highway indeed!) then surely you will be clothed sufficiently in your mission.

Were you born funny, or is this a skill you acquired? LOL

[pam]

Were you born funny, or is this a skill you acquired? LOL

You find him funny?

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

D there are lilies which do not receive proper nourishment, proper care, and even though the Lord knows what they stand in need of, they wither and die.

What then is the comparison in your mind, heart, and spirit?

I have pondered this question too...I have come to two conclusions.

The first is...that whenever I ask, Why doesn't the Lord do something. I imagine Him asking me, Why don't YOU do something. Then I renew my efforts to make a difference in the world to relieve suffering. My effort may be a widow's mite, but at the judgment day, I want to be able to tell the Lord that I gave my best.

Second, as one who did not receive proper care as a child...and when do we need it more than as helpless children??? I am inspired by James Stockdale. He was taken as a prisoner of War in Vietnam. Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia.

Stockdale was one of about eleven prisoners . . . These individuals had been leaders of resistance activities while in captivity and thus were separated from other captives and placed in solitary confinement. "Alcatraz" was a special facility in a courtyard behind the North Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense, located about one mile away from Hoa Lo Prison. In Alcatraz, each of the prisoners were kept in individual cells measuring 3 feet by 9 feet with a light bulb kept on around the clock, and they were locked in leg irons each night.[6][7][8][9][10]

In a business book by James C. Collins called Good to Great, Collins writes about a conversation he had with Stockdale regarding his coping strategy during his period in the Vietnamese POW camp.[11]

I never lost faith in the end of the story, I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade."[12]

When Collins asked who didn't make it out of Vietnam, Stockdale replied:

Oh, that's easy, the optimists. Oh, they were the ones who said, 'We're going to be out by Christmas.' And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they'd say, 'We're going to be out by Easter.' And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart."[12]

Stockdale then added:

This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be."[12]

Witnessing this philosophy of duality, Collins went on to describe it as the Stockdale Paradox.

I love this story and this man so much. I *bolded* a couple things that stand out for me. First, Stockdale was part of a group that led a resistence. They worked to make things better for others. One of the things he did while in solitary was create a tapping system (like morse code I would guess) so that even while in solitary confinement they could communicate. In this lowest point of his life, he was still searching for ways to serve and help make things better for his peers.

Second, I love when he said, "I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade." That is so powerful. If he can say that about being tortured as a POW. (I didn't quote the torture part but it was awful), it gives me strength to hope for the same in my own difficulties. It gives me hope that even in my difficulties that the Lord has not forgotten me, but that He knows that this will be a defining event of my life which in retrospect I would not trade. It is hard to imagine that now, but I hope for it for sure.

Third...I didn't *bold* this, but I think it is worth mentioning. Notice what he said about the "optimists". I worry about people at church that say, "The Lord will protect us." I think this is an unrealistic view of God that can only led to disillusionment. He won't always protect you, the Newtown Massacre is witness of that. But He will stand by us in our adversities and help us turn them into defining events of our lives.

Edited February 9, 2013 by LiterateParakeet

[Anddenex]

I never lost faith in the end of the story, I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade."[12]

Here you have someone who can be defined as someone with character. Yes, the optomist, really wasn't an optomist, they were hopefuls.

[Dravin]

Do to my weakness in writing, I am hoping I can efficiently get my point across, and would be grateful to others thoughts pertaining to this scripture, and my question.

D&C 84: 82 (81-84), "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin; and the kingdoms of the world, in all their glory, are not arrayed like one of these."

Each time I read this verse my mind ponders, yet even in all the glory of some of these lilies, there are lilies which do not receive proper nourishment, proper care, and even though the Lord knows what they stand in need of, they wither and die.

What then is the comparison in your mind, heart, and spirit?

I think you are extending things too far. Pretty much any analogy or metaphor breaks down if you take it far enough. Consider two examples, one scriptural and one more modern:

"Faith is like a muscle." - So you're saying I need to maintain a proper protein intake to develop faith and that critical to the growth of faith is the destruction and then regrowth of faith? Also a lack of electrolytes can interfere with the use of faith.

"Sifted as chaff." - The wicked and righteous will be toss up into the air and separated by density and surface area differences.

[Anddenex]

I think you are extending things too far. Pretty much any analogy or metaphor breaks down if you take it far enough. Consider two examples, one scriptural and one more modern:

"Faith is like a muscle." - So you're saying I need to maintain a proper protein intake to develop faith and that critical to the growth of faith is the destruction and then regrowth of faith? Also a lack of electrolytes can interfere with the use of faith.

"Sifted as chaff." - The wicked and righteous will be toss up into the air and separated by density and surface area differences.

Thank you. Great examples, and both you and gopecon have expressed similar thoughts regarding extending the analogy to far, and I possilby could be.

My thoughts ponder how some members of the church exercise faith, they in connection with this verse "take [no] thought for the morrow" knowing The Lord knows what they have need of.

Some members seem to be arrayed like one of these lilies, while others seem to not experience the same favor.

Some are lifted up, others -- so it appears -- are left to their own devices. Both exercise faith. Both work hard, yet one appears to be favored like the lilies spoken of in this verse.

More insight to my thoughts.

[Dravin]

Thank you. Great examples, and both you and gopecon have expressed similar thoughts regarding extending the analogy to far, and I possilby could be.

My thoughts ponder how some members of the church exercise faith, they in connection with this verse "take [no] thought for the morrow" knowing The Lord knows what they have need of.

Are these members Apostles? Because that is to whom that verse is directed. Note verse 63.

[Anddenex]

Are these members Apostles? Because that is to whom that verse is directed. Note verse 63.

Great question, I am referring to any member of the Church, which would include the Apostles.

I have never read these verses as pertaining only to Apostles and therein could be my error.

Edited February 9, 2013 by Anddenex

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

Some members seem to be arrayed like one of these lilies, while others seem to not experience the same favor.

Some are lifted up, others -- so it appears -- are left to their own devices. Both exercise faith. Both work hard, yet one appears to be favored like the lilies spoken of in this verse.

I agree. Whether we tie it to this scripture or not, it is still true.

[THIRDpersonviewer]

One thought I have is this.

The context was to the apostles when they were put the Kingdom first. The Lord is telling them go and do and I will provide for food and other necessities and other temporal affairs. You mention that there are those that do not get what they need or their nourishment. If you think in the temporal, yes they may not get what they need but in the spiritual, there is nothing lacking. They will still be saved even though they died early because of temporal conditions. (I know that we don't know that they will be saved, but we DO know that the Lord will provide the opportunity to be saved.)

So you may say well their temporal was not provided for. The reality is that maybe they didn't need more time here. They really did have enough temporal things to make the spiritual journey that they needed here. Now it is time to go back.

It might be said well they didnt progress on their journey at all, they had sins and so on. Well, we can't be the judge so I say that an opportunity will be provided after this life, and continuing in this life is only going to bring more pain or suffering or might leave such a scarring moment for that person that they can't handle it so it is better to move on to the next life so they can receive the healing they need. The Lord will not allow us to endure more than we can handle.

just some thoughts :)

[annewandering]

I worry about people at church that say, "The Lord will protect us." I think this is an unrealistic view of God that can only led to disillusionment. He won't always protect you, the Newtown Massacre is witness of that. But He will stand by us in our adversities and help us turn them into defining events of our lives.

But I think that God does protect us in the ways that are eternal. We are subject to the miseries of this world but when we need help to get through them then, yes, He does protect us. We tend to think more along the lines of carnal safety when He is thinking along the lines of eternal spiritual safety.

[relipro67]

My thoughts are that we should trust in The Lord that he will take care of us, our only concern should be to serve him (others). Just as the prophet, apostles, and other preisthood leaders and fulltime missionaries throughout the world are asked to trust in The Lord and serve; he will protect us and sustain us with our temporal needs. We are all important to him, we all have a purpose and like the lilies of the field we should just focus on that not worry about how we will survive or work so hard/toil to stay "alive". He knows what we need, if we follow the Holy Spirit, the Lord will provide the rest.