In doing some online schoolwork research, I watched a video clip of a talk from Elder Neal A. Maxwell entitled "Overcome...Even As I Also Overcame" given in April 1987. The clip was specifically about being better disciples and several of the things that he said lead me to reading his entire talk.
One of the things that struck me in particular, was that he said members give of our time, but we withhold ourselves, withhold truly being great, that we are present without giving of our presence. I have often been frustrated at times with others not being committed or not "showing up" to do what they know to be good. Then I look back at the times in my life and wonder, am I being my own frustration now? So many times we go through the motions of going to church, taking the sacrament and even participating in classes, but are we doing it because we are truly converted and committed to the gospel, or are we simply doing it because that's what you do? If it is the latter, it is, as Neal A. Maxwell describes, "not consecrated discipleship".
I reflect back so many times to the many lessons learned from the Tree of Life analogy. The Iron Rod has so many implications. Are we following near to the rod or do we do as the scriptures suggest and cling to it? Do we use it as a general guideline, as something we do, or do we strive to grasp it firmly? The word of God can be a comfort and that can be a good thing. But if we are only using it as a "warm fuzzy" to make us feel better about ourselves and not truly becoming converted through the power of the word and knowing and believing it, are we really even holding on? In the talk, Elder Maxwell points out that the apostles fought "the fiery darts of the adversary by holding aloft the quenching shield of faith in one hand while holding to the rod of iron with the other." It takes commitment. It takes conviction. It takes both hands!
The overall feeling that I got from Elder Maxwell's talk is that there can be no fence-sitting. For if we are on the fence, we are really not on the Lord's side. There is no in between.It is black and white. It's amazing to me too, that this talk was given nearly 30 years ago, and how much more relevant is it now, when the world wants to have their cake and eat it too. The world is getting worse. What is good is now being perceived as bad and what is evil is being treated as good or as the socially accepted. There has never been a greater need to be a truly converted disciple of Christ, to make a stand, to pick a side, and to cling to the Iron Rod!
