More Lessons from the Cheetahs

After describing what he and his wife learned from observing two cheetahs as predators track a group of topis, he gave us this invitation: “I invite and encourage you to reflect on this episode with the cheetahs and the topis and identify additional lessons for you and your family. Please remember always that your home is the true center of gospel learning and living.”  He then gave this promise for so doing: “As you respond in faith to this invitation, inspired thoughts will come to your mind, spiritual feelings will swell in your heart, and you will recognize actions that should be undertaken or continued so that you can ‘take upon you [the] whole armor [of God], that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand.’”  So in an effort to follow that invitation, what are some of the other lessons we can learn from this description of cheetahs and topis? 

               Perhaps one lesson for us parents trying to raise children in the gospel is that we must seek to be like those group of “older and stronger topis standing as sentinels on termite mounts.”  These were the topis who presumably warned the other topis when they realized that the cheetahs were approaching, and because of them the herd was able to flee to safety.  In describing these sentinel topis, Elder Bednar said, “The enhanced view of the grasslands from the small hills enabled these guardian topis to watch for signs of danger.”  As parents that is our role in the family, to see danger up ahead and to help our children navigate the confusing signals they receive from the world.  When it comes to modesty, entertainment, language, and even Sabbath Day behavior, we have to help them see and understand where the Lord’s standards are and help them to hold fast to gospel principles.  They will not always like what they see as restrictions that maybe their peers don’t have, but we are the ones who can see the cheetahs advancing and have to take responsibility for helping them stay clear of spiritual danger. 

                 And yet, that said, ultimately we can’t always be that sentinel for our children.  Interestingly, though Elder Bednar suggested that it was because of these “older and stronger topis” that the herd was warned of impending danger, he admitted that he wasn’t sure it was them who warned the group: “I do not know if or how the sentinel topis communicated with the larger group, but somehow a warning was given, and all the topis moved to a place of safety.”  While we should certainly do all that we can to watch over and warn our families, in the end it may not be our elevated view and eyesight that sees the impending danger.  The Spirit must be that voice to warn of danger; with our natural eyes and human experience we may not perceive it.  And for our children, we must help them to hear that voice.  They will have no greater safety than to be able to hear the voice of the Spirit and understand for themselves of what is good and what is evil.  That doesn’t mean we stop teaching and warning and even restricting certain behaviors, but for long-lasting safety and conversion to the gospel, they must hear those warnings from the Lord Himself.  Those topis each learned to hear whatever voice it was that told them to run from the cheetahs, and our protection lies in similarly learning to hear and heed the warning voice of the Spirit.   

               The title of Elder Bednar’s talk was “Watchful unto Prayer Continually” and ultimately for me that is the most important action we should strive to take.  We must plead with the Lord continually to see impending danger for us and our families, to stay safe on the covenant path, to hear His voice, and we must strive to help others to do the same.  As Moroni described for his people, we must diligently seek, for ourselves and all those we love, “to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith” (Moroni 6:4).