Anointing with Oil

The prophet Samuel went to Bethlehem to find a king. Guided by the spirit to the house of Jesse, Samuel met seven strong and impressive sons. His confidence grew: surely one of these was the man he sought! "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as a man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). Samuel then sent for Jesse's youngest son, David, who was out tending the sheep, "and the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward" (1 Samuel 16:12-13).

Anointing with oil has been part of revealed religion since the days of Adam and Eve. Prophets anointed men to become kings and priests. The faithful have been anointed as part of an ordination or blessing, including the healing of the sick and the temple initiatory (Exodus 40:13, 1 Kings 19:16, Mark 6:13, James 5:14). In each case, sacred anointings have used olive oil and been followed by an increased measure of the Spirit of the Lord.

Olive trees are a metaphor in scripture for the house of Israel, or God's covenant people. The olive branch is commonly used as a symbol of peace. Olive oil reminds us of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace and our Covenant Giver, because the bitter olive, when crushed, produces an oil that is sweet. It is used in scripture as a symbol of the healing and light that we can receive from the Divine Physician and the Light of the World (Matthew 25:1-13, Luke 10:34).

As we are anointed and our cells begin to bond with those in the oil, it is symbolically as if we were applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ directly to our illness, wound, or calling. The one giving the blessing does so by the power of the priesthood, received from Jesus Christ, and strives to speak the words of Christ given through the Holy Ghost. In a very real way, Christ is the one who heals and blesses us (Exodus 15:26). It is through him that we are given power to become kings and queens in his kingdom and receive an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord to guide us in our lives and prepare us for divine responsibilities.

Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, taught us in word and deed about the divine calling of those who are anointed or ordained to serve him. The titles Christ and Messiah themselves are translated from Greek and Hebrew words, respectively, that mean "anointed." Luke testified that "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him" (Acts 10:38).

Christ testified of himself using the words of Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified" (Isaiah 61:1-3, Luke 4:16-32).

Those who have been anointed in the temple initiatory, and those who have been called and ordained to serve in His kingdom, are called to follow the example of The Anointed One who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We were not chosen because of our stature, but because of the desires of our hearts. Just as David prepared to be a king for fifteen years after he was anointed, we have been anointed to prepare greater things, filling our metaphorical lamps with oil until Christ comes again. Guided by the Spirit, we are to serve those around us and lift up those in need. Part of our covenant with Christ is to "speak no evil of the Lord's anointed;" this includes our Savior, ordained church leaders, and all of our faithful brothers and sisters who have been anointed to become kings and queens, priests and priestesses in His kingdom.

We renew this covenant each Sunday as we partake of the sacrament bread and water. As we are figuratively anointed again each week, we are reminded that if we will take the name of Christ upon ourselves, always remember Him, and keep His commandments, we may receive an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord to guide us, comfort us, and prepare us to become kings and queens in the kingdom of God (D&C 20:77, 79). The Lord has personally sought you out for this divine role and blessed you with strength to slay your Goliaths, forgive the Sauls in your life, lead your armies of Elders or sisters or primary children, discern His will, and grow in humility, compassion, and resilience until the time of your coronation is come.

What E'er Thou Art Act Well Thy Part

As a young man, President David O. McKay was called to serve a mission to Scotland. While there, he discovered a stone above the doorway of a building near Stirling Castle. The architect of the building had arranged nine symbols in a square with three rows and three columns. Each symbol represented a number and every row and every column totaled 18. On the top of the stone was the inscription, "What e'er thou art, act well thy part."

The architect of that building knew that many different materials were used to construct the building. For the building to stand the test of time, each part would need to be in its assigned place and perform its proper function. The cement foundation would need to provide a stable base on which to build; wooden beams would provide a framework of support for the walls and roof; stucco, rocks or bricks would be used to secure the building and keep out the cold; and a roof with shingles would be required to repel the rain and snow.

It is critical to the integrity of the building that each element bear the weight placed upon it. If the building were suddenly without its foundation or if one of the wooden beams were to be removed, the structure may fail. Similarly, a wooden foundation or shingles made of brick may eventually result in collapse. Each material has characteristics suited for a particular role; and it is by performing that role that the entire building has endured for hundreds of years.

This principle is true for social structures as well. Each of us has unique characteristics to contribute as we fulfill our duties and responsibilities to our families and our communities. If we are absent. give less than our best effort or abandon our responsibilities because we wish we had a different role to fill, dysfunction or even collapse may result.

In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes that we in the church are also like the architect's building. All of us have been called to fill an important role that benefits the whole. Some are called to be apostles, others prophets or teachers, and still others are called to work miracles, learn languages, or organize and help others. Magnifying that calling glorifies the whole because every part of the building is needed.

President Gordon B. Hinckley once testified, "We are all in this great endeavor together. We are here to assist our Father in His work and His glory, 'to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man' (Moses 1:39). Your obligation is as serious in your sphere of responsibility as is my obligation in my sphere. No calling in this church is small or of little consequence. All of us in the pursuit of our duty touch the lives of others" ("This is the Work of the Master," Ensign, May 1995, 71).

To help us succeed in our individual roles, the Lord has given each of us talents, skills and characteristics to use for the benefit of the whole Church. "To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge... To another faith... to another the gifts of healing... To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another diverse kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues" (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). We may be gifted writers or musicians, compassionate listeners, or willing volunteers who help wherever we're needed. All of these and many, many more contribute to the integrity of the whole.

We may feel like we're just a bit of grout between some bricks or a single nail on a wooden beam in the grand scheme of things. Christ, through his apostles, asks us to focus less on what we are and use our energy to fill our roles well. His glory is not served by a pile of shingles or an immense, structure-less foundation, but rather with the building of his kingdom on earth. He has given us gifts because he needs all of us, whatever we are, to act well our part.