Give Away All

President Nelson spoke about overcoming the world in this most recent general conference. He said, “What does it mean to overcome the world? It means overcoming the temptation to care more about the things of this world than the things of God. It means trusting the doctrine of Christ more than the philosophies of men. It means delighting in truth, denouncing deception, and becoming ‘humble followers of Christ.’ It means choosing to refrain from anything that drives the Spirit away. It means being willing to ‘give away’ even our favorite sins.” I believe this is particularly difficult for the young people of the church who are bombarded in school and in their peer groups with the temptation to indeed care more than anything else about the things of this world, from its cars and phones to its movies and entertainment. The world tells them that these things matter most for them, and as they seek to fit in they are led to focus on obtaining and enjoying the fleeting things of the world. But, like the story of the father of King Lamoni that President Nelson referenced here, they and we must be willing instead to “love God and His Beloved Son more than [we] love anyone or anything else.” When this Lamanite king really understood the eternal truths he was being taught by Aaron, his desire to know God became greater than his desire for any of his earthly power or possessions, praying these words: “O God, Aaron hath told me that there is a God; and if there is a God, and if thou art God, wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee, and that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day” (Alma 22:18).

                I was touched by my young daughter’s example yesterday of loving God more than the things of the world. She came with me on some errands and watched me give a few dollars to a man collecting money to help homeless veterans as I walked into a store. That evening as I was putting this daughter to bed she talked to me about this and I explained that they money was going to help people in need. She made this profound statement: “Daddy, I would get rid of all my money and give it to someone who was poor.” I was moved by her sincere and selfless desire, and I wish that I had as pure a heart as she does. She has, by President Nelson’s definition, overcome the world, and I pray that she can keep that kind of love for the Lord and His children all throughout her life. Her heart is like that of the widow who gave two mites into the treasury and in so doing “cast in all the living that she had” (Luke 21:4). The Lord wants us to be willing to give everything we have for Him, to cast in all by loving Him more than we love the world and its possessions. I hope that I can learn to follow better the example of my daughter and this poor widow and love the Lord more than all my possessions. May the blessing of President Nelson in the final words of his message be fulfilled for each of us who seek to love the Lord: “I bless you to care more about the things of God than the things of this world. I bless you to see the needs of those around you and strengthen those you love. Because Jesus Christ overcame this world, you can too.”