Good, better, and best are terms that can be used to describe the relative worth of competing choices. The one thing they have in common is the fact that a favorable outcome can be expected from each. However, the outcomes are not of equal value. All of us come to forks in the road of life where we have choices to make. Often, the most difficult part is deciding what is good, better, or best as we consider the choices before us.
Elder Dallin Oaks has taught:
“As we consider various choices, we should remember that it is not enough that something is good. Other choices are better, and still others are best.” Ensign, Nov 2007, 104-8.
Sometimes it is difficult to know the “best” choice to make at a fork in the road while traveling the path of life. Who, and when to marry, which career path to choose, what educational path to pursue, which college to attend, can be such choices.
As members of the church, new or seasoned, we have choices to make. I’d like to make some observations about choices regarding discipleship. As church members there are many paths we can pursue in the “kingdom”. If we’re not thoughtful we can make choices that later on we might discover are good, or even better, but not best.
In matters of study, we should be wise in how we exercise are discipleship. Study is good, isn’t that what we’re taught in the scriptures? Well, yes, and maybe no. We’re taught there is opposition in all things. In my estimation it is not good to drink deeply from the nectar of the tree of knowledge, and then merely wet our lips with the Ambrosia from the tree of life. We’ll end up with a PhD in the things of this world, and a elementary school education in the things of the spirit.
Consider what the Lord is teaching in this verse:
For they cannot bear meat now, but milk they must receive; wherefore, they must not know these things, lest they perish. D&C 19:22
This verse makes it clear that receiving some things (meat) prior to receiving prerequisites (milk) can be harmful to a disciple’s spiritual well being. We should be wise in what we spend the bulk of our time studying.
While surfing the Bloggernacle over the last eight years, I’ve observed that many of those who write and comment are not at their spiritual best. This is evident in the subject matter these well educated disciples choose to write and comment on.
The most popular blogs in the Bloggernacle simultaneously mock and praise the church, its leaders, history, and doctrine. I can relate to this duplicitous behavior, to a certain extent, because I am drawn to it myself.
However, because I have a testimony born of sacred experiences I have a responsibility to make sure others know this. Otherwise, it can grieve the Spirit of the Lord. And this is my point to the Bloggernacle, if you have been given a testimony of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, and Jesus Christ then I hope it is evident in your writings and comments. Otherwise, I fear that the “best” will get swallowed up by “good” or “better”.
I’m thankful to the Lord for the manifestations of His Spirit in my life and I hope that all who write and comment in the Bloggernacle, and process a testimony, will be as quick to express their testimony as they are to express whatever else is on their mind.
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