Subtle Blessings

"Windows of Heaven" by Jeff Brimley

In 1899, President Lorenzo Snow felt prompted to make the long journey by train and horse-drawn carriage from Salt Lake City to Saint George, Utah. He had been deeply troubled about the crushing debt left over from the anti-polygamy crusades of the 1880s. At the same time, there had been no rain in Saint George for many months and the Saints in that area were at risk of not being able to grow their crops that year. He had been praying anxiously about how to help the Saints and the Church, but received no answer except a feeling that he should go to Saint George.

President Snow made the long trip to Saint George and witnessed dry fields and dying livestock all along the way. Soon after his arrival, a conference was organized so the people could hear the word of the Lord from a prophet of God. He stood to speak with deeper concern from all he had witnessed but without knowing what he could possibly say to make a difference.

Suddenly, in the middle of his remarks, President Snow paused for several moments. When he resumed his sermon, he had renewed confidence and his voice was stronger. Many of the people testified afterward that they knew he was speaking under the inspiration of the Lord. He said, “The word of the Lord is: The time has now come for every Latter-day Saint … to do the will of the Lord and to pay his tithing in full. That is the word of the Lord to you, and it will be the word of the Lord to every settlement throughout the land of Zion” (quoted in LeRoi C. Snow, “The Lord’s Way Out of Bondage,” p. 439). He promised that if they would pay their tithing, rain would fall and they would be able to plant and harvest good crops that year.

In the year following President Snow’s revelation, the Saints contributed twice as much in tithing as they had the previous two years. Not only were the Saints in St. George blessed with rain, but within eight years the Church was able to pay all its debts. Since that day, the Church has continued to have enough money to carry out the Lord’s work because faithful Church members pay their tithing.

The Lord promised Malachi that if the Israelites would pay their tithing he would, “open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:7-12). After months of drought and facing the prospect of having no food for the winter, I can imagine that the people in Saint George must have been overwhelmed with gratitude at the sight of rain.

At the same time, despite paying my tithing faithfully for years, I have sometimes felt that I had room to receive a lot more. I have wondered why this promise didn’t seem to be as true for me as I imagined it could be. In seeing only with my temporal eyes, have not understood what the Lord was really offering.

Elder David A. Bednar has explained:

Often as we teach and testify about the law of tithing, we emphasize the immediate, dramatic and readily recognizable temporal blessings that we receive. And surely such blessings do occur. Yet some of the diverse blessings we obtain as we are obedient to this commandment are significant but subtle. Such blessings can be discerned only if we are both spiritually attentive and observant (see 1 Corinthians 2:14).

The imagery of the "windows" of heaven used by Malachi is most instructive. Windows allow natural light to enter into a building. In like manner, spiritual illumination and perspective are poured out through the windows of heaven and into our lives as we honor the law of tithing.

Now I can see that my family has experienced an outpouring of light and understanding on several occasions. One of those experiences occurred while I was attending graduate school in Arizona. Soon after graduation, my wife and I accepted a job in Virginia. It was a big decision that came as a shock to a lot of our friends and family members. Some of them wondered out loud how we could make a decision so suddenly that wasn't even in realm of possibilities just the day before.

Of course, we hadn't made the decision suddenly at all. Years before we decided to move, we began praying for guidance and that we would be able to find a good job after graduate school. I paid close attention when my professors, most of whom were or had been active in my chosen profession, would give career advice. I interviewed for promotions within the company where I worked and started applying for jobs in my field around the metro area where I was attending school. I was constantly looking at job ads and talking with my wife about what we wanted from life, the kinds of communities where we would like to live and jobs that would help us reach our larger goals.

Over time, my wife and I began to have experiences that helped to clarify the path ahead. One interviewer at my then-employer told me I was overqualified and another told me it would be several years before the labor union would allow me to be considered for promotion. A guest practitioner in one of my classes shared stories from working in rural communities that resonated with me. The same advice about mobility and finding a first job was repeated over and over and over again by professors, mentors, role models and career counselors.

As graduation approached I was getting anxious to find a position, but it was much easier to identify the jobs that would get us closer to our long-term professional and family goals. My wife and I knew the entry-level job titles that were most likely to lead to management opportunities, the size and type of community where we wanted to live, and which states and communities we were willing to call home. Four months after graduation, I interviewed in Virginia and accepted a position that was everything we had learned we wanted.

Looking back, there was not a single epiphany that dramatically changed our course or a grand revelatory moment where the Lord commanded us to move to Virginia. Instead, the Lord opened the windows of heaven and steadily poured out a thousand smaller experiences, thoughts and impressions that gradually opened our minds, clarified our goals and led us gently down the path to where we needed to be.

Following the guidance we have received in this and other experiences like it has led to the opportunities, challenges and understanding we have needed to progress in our lives. We have been afforded greater happiness, testimony, strength, knowledge, experience and prosperity than we could ever deserve.

Just as the blessings of tithing most often come line upon line and grace for grace, Bishop Gerald Causse shared an experience in the April 2017 General Conference that highlighted the subtle blessings of priesthood service in his life:

When I was 30 years old, I began working for a retail group in France. One day the company president, a good man of another faith, called me into his office. His question startled me: "I just learned that you are a priest in your church. Is that true?"

I replied, "Yes, that is correct. I hold the priesthood."

Visibly intrigued by my response, he further inquired, "But did you study at a theological seminary?"

"Of course," I answered, "between the ages of 14 and 18, and I studied seminary lessons nearly every day!" He almost fell off his chair.

To my great surprise, several weeks later he called me back to his office to offer me a managing director position in one of the group's companies. I was astonished and expressed my concern that I was too young and inexperienced to hold such an important responsibility. With a benevolent smile, he said, "That may be true, but it doesn't matter. I know your principles, and I know what you've learned in your church. I need you."

He was right about what I had learned in the Church. The years that followed were challenging, and I don't know if I could have had any success without the experience I acquired by serving in the Church from the time I was a young man.

The Lord has taught, “There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated-- And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated" (D&C 130:20-21). Sometimes the blessings we receive are as sudden and significant as rain to end a long drought. Quite often however, the blessings of our obedience to any principle come so quietly that we do not even notice them at the time.

This is the Lord's way: "line upon line; here a little and there a little" (Isaiah 28:10). "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).

Elijah stood on Mount Horeb (Sinai) and witnessed that the Lord was not in the powerful wind nor the earthquake nor the fire, but rather a still, small voice (1 Kings 19:11-13). Instead of ushering in the restoration of the gospel with a visit to a prominent minister or president, the Lord appeared to a fourteen-year-old farm boy with a third grade education and a burning desire for truth. President Snow could have been inspired to know where to dig for gold or secure a large donation, but the Lord told him to go to Saint George and teach obedience to the ancient law of tithing.

You or I may still feel from time to time that we could use more of the Lord's blessings in our lives. This can also be guidance from the Lord. At such times, I have found I get the best results when I strive to be obedient and follow the counsel of a favorite hymn:

When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings; name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings; ev'ry doubt will fly

And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,

Think that Christ has promised you his wealth untold.

Count your many blessings; money cannot buy

Your reward in heaven nor your home on high.

So amid the conflict, whether great or small,

Do not be discouraged; God is over all.

Count your many blessings; angels will attend,

Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

Commandments to Help Us Change

What do you think of when someone starts talking about commandments? Ancient religion, perhaps? Of Moses carrying stone tablets off Mount Sinai or Pharisees squabbling over how many steps constitute a broken Sabbath? Does the projector in your mind play a scene from a life with a lot of parted hair, Jello desserts and time at home while everyone else is out having fun? Maybe hearing about commandments triggers a mental lecture you've given yourself at least ten thousand times or a dismissive rejection of what is only for the 'goodies' or what you feel you're already doing well enough already.

It shouldn't be a surprise that this post is going to be in favor of commandments. It may also be helpful to know that I have no intention of making anyone feel guilty. The truth is, my perception of what commandments are, and what living them looks like, would conjure up images like I mentioned above. Despite the best efforts of Sunday School teachers and religion classes, something about commandments just seems so Old Testament.

Over the last several years my perception has been changing, however. I've found that personal experiences and evidence in the scriptures can create a paradigm shift that allows us to see commandments as timeless, even modern or 'ahead of their time', and as patterns of good sense and a healthy, enjoyable lifestyle. I'll share at least some of what I mean by discussing two seemingly unrelated commandments: tithing and forgiving others.

One thing I've learned about commandments is that they're seldom really about the outward action. Take tithing. We've all read Malachi 3:10:

Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

The Lord has tithed his people in every dispensation. If you think for a moment about why, several logical answers come immediately to mind. Money from tithing supports the work-- it builds temples, subsidizes missionary efforts and protects the Church from the crippling effects of debt. The faith required to pay tithing strengthens the members and their commitment to the Church. Tithing also provides an opportunity for us to 'prove' that the Lord will keep his promises.

All of these are very good answers and our lives are surely blessed by stronger faith, buildings where we can meet and worship, and a testimony of God's integrity and consistency. Yet, at least in my own mind, there is an even better reason for tithing: the gift of giving.

I like the quote from Winston Churchill: 'We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give'. Everybody has someone in their lives that they would say is a 'giver'. In every way and through every day, these people give their time and talents to help those around them. Givers are generally cheerful, optimistic, and uplifting just to be around.

You also probably know someone that might be labeled a 'taker'. Even the mention of someone who is a taker makes most of us groan or sigh inside. You know who you'd rather be like and how you'd rather been seen by others: we want to be givers.

Arthur Brooks is an economist that has written several books on giving and happiness. One of his studies found that those who give more get more-- in that order. He explained in a speech given in 2009 that I highly recommend to everyone:

Specifically, here’s what I found. If you have two families that are exactly identical—in other words, same religion, same race, same number of kids, same town, same level of education, and everything’s the same—except that one family gives a hundred dollars more to charity than the second family, then the giving family will earn on average $375 more in income than the nongiving family—and that’s statistically attributable to the gift.

In addition, Brooks mentions other studies showing that people who give to charity are 43 percent more likely than people who don't give to say they're very happy people.  People who see others-- even strangers-- giving charitably see leadership qualities in the giver and almost cannot help themselves but to follow. Givers are more productive, have better health and are better citizens. They're better company in social situations and more likely to be promoted in business situations. It goes on and on.

The Lord doesn't need our money. He's much more interested in our exaltation and salvation (Moses 1:39). Tithing given willingly and selflessly changes our hearts. It helps us become like the 'givers' toward whom we all gravitate and around whom we are all uplifted. As our natures change-- as we become happier and more productive-- we will also be more successful. We will be able to achieve and have so much more than we otherwise could've it may seem there are blessings overflowing and pouring down from the windows of heaven. It doesn't get much more modern or more practical than that: giving is a strategy for prosperity.

There are many reasons to pay tithing. We are commanded to pay tithing, at least in part, because it changes who we are and prepares us to return to our Heavenly Father.

A second example that has shifted how I see commandments can be seen in the command to 'forgive all men'. The Lord directed Peter to forgive those that offend him, 'until seventy times seven', or as often as he is offended.

I learned a lot about forgiveness from James Rasband, the former dean of the law school at Brigham Young University. In October 2012, he explained to a group of students and faculty:

Why is it that we sometimes have trouble accepting the Atonement as recompense for the harms we suffer at others' hands? My experience is that we can sometimes forget that the Atonement has two sides. Usually, when we think about the Atonement we focus on how mercy can satisfy the demands that justice would impose upon us. We are typically quicker to accept the idea that when we sin and make mistakes the Atonement is available to pay our debts.

Forgiveness requires us to consider the other side of the Atonement--a side that we don't think about as often but that is equally critical. That side is the Atonement's power to satisfy our demands of justice against others, to fulfill our rights to restitution and being made whole... It heals us not only from the guilt we suffer when we sin, but it also heals us from the sins and hurts of others.

When others cause us harm, they take something from us that isn't theirs to take. It may be a physical item like a book or a borrowed shovel, but more often it is the peace in our lives, an opportunity for faith or inspiration, or time spent in worry or grief that could've otherwise been used to build relationships or provide for our families. Justice demands restitution.

A repentant offender may do all they can to restore what they have taken. Despite the best intentions, we all know from experience that sometimes an apology just doesn't make everything okay. Sometimes there is nothing that we can do to return what was lost.

And sometimes others hurt us on purpose. Sometimes others inject our lives with tragedy-- a broken heart or a broken home or the death of a family member-- and sometimes they're not sorry. Mercy requires that there be another way to make us whole again.

Forgiveness does not require us to give up our right to restitution. Mercy cannot rob justice. Forgiveness simply requires that we look to a different source to be made whole again. Though the offender may not have the ability or the desire to compensate us for what they have done to hurt us, the Atonement of Jesus Christ has the power to restore all that has been taken away from us. All that is asked of us is to have the faith to accept the restitution offered to us in this way.

The Lord taught, 'he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses standeth condemned before the Lord; for there remaineth in him the greater sin' (D&C 64:9). Sin is a separation of man from God. When we refuse to forgive, we reject the Atonement that has satisfied the demands of justice for the offender as well for ourselves. We cut ourselves off from the mercy of God while, in a metaphorical sense, turning down the full payment on car repairs after an accident because the money is coming from an insurer rather than the driver of the other vehicle. Unable to meet the demands of justice without the Atonement in our lives, we are separated from God and unable to make further progress toward our ultimate goal of returning to live with Him.

Viewed in this way, the commandment to forgive becomes practical, common sense. It may still be difficult, but when applied in our lives we will be happier, healthier and more successful. Saying it that way almost makes it sound too good to be true, maybe even deserving of an infomercial, but my experience has been that it is really true. When I have forgiven others, particularly others who have committed the most grievous offenses against me, my life has been richer and more satisfying because the Lord has made me whole again. I have found greater joy because the process of forgiving others has helped me to become a better, more Christlike person with an enhance relationship with the divine and a larger capacity for compassion, empathy and happiness.

As my eyes are opened to what commandments really are and how they really can change my life, they're suddenly not just for the Old Testament anymore. They become practical, tangible solutions to life's problems and provide enormous aid toward my life goals. Like taking money advice from a very wealthy person, commandments are life advice from the God who created life, who created the plan of happiness, and who has journeyed to the summit of life and wants to tell us how to get there.

What is true of tithing and forgiveness is true of all other commandments. Consider for a moment how the discipline that comes with a sincere fast might change who we are and what we can accomplish. What humility or confidence might we gain from using the Sabbath to serve others? Researchers have begun compiling study after study reporting how our lives would be better if we consumed less violence, profanity and sexuality in the media. Other studies show the many benefits of learning patience, getting out of debt and learning to save money for the things we need and want.

Commandments, when adhered, take the person that we are and turn us into the more successful person we can become. They develop skills and traits and relationships that unite us with God and make us leaders among our peers. They build our faith and restore what we lose along life's journey. And yes, when we obey the commandments we may often find ourselves in places with a lot of parted hair and every kind of Jello dessert. The truth is, nothing could make us happier.

Why Sacrifice?

The gospel reference True to the Faith teaches that sacrifice is giving up something we value for the sake of something of greater worth. This is a vital practice, law, principle and covenant in the Church. President Gordon B. Hinckley taught, "Without sacrifice there is no true worship of God. … ‘The Father gave his Son, and the Son gave his life,’ and we do not worship unless we give—give of our substance, … our time, … strength, … talent, … faith, … [and] testimonies” (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 565).

It is worth noting here that sacrifice, by definition, must be giving up something we value. The ten percent of annual increase to be paid in tithing each year carries very different values for a rich man and a poor man. Though the dollar amount may be higher for a rich man's contribution, that rich man may value money less than a poor man because he has more of it. So, while the poor man may be missing meals to pay tithing, the rich man, who recovers much of his contribution in his tax return anyway, may hardly notice the transfer of money to the Church.

On the other hand, time for the wealthy man may be much more valuable than for the poor man. Certainly the rich man has more to lose for every hour of work missed than the poor man, for example.

The Church helps each of us to sacrifice things that we value in order to make our worship more true and our blessings more plentiful. She may ask a poor man to donate to fast offering, humanitarian aid and missionary programs in addition to his tithing to reach this objective. Similarly, she may ask the rich man to serve in a time-intensive calling such as a bishopric or as a scoutmaster. One thing the Lord has asked all members to sacrifice is a broken heart and a contrite spirit (D&C 59:8).

The Church has pushed its members to sacrifice worldly things for the greater blessings of full activity in the Church. For the earliest Saints, this meant conversion despite the persecution of mobs. In the next generation came leaving civilization for a trek across the prairie and starting new settlements in the West. Soon came the end of polygamy (not particularly worldly, but a difficulty at the time that even led to the excommunication of a member of the First Presidency), then the emphasis on tithing, then enforcement of the Word of Wisdom. Currently, the Church's emphasis on chastity issues provides a significant opportunity for the members of the Church to sacrifice the things of the world around them for the greater blessings of God. Additional sub-emphases, including missionary service for men, temple attendance, daily scripture study and a long list of others have been brought up from time to time as well. Sacrificing in these ways helps each of us to become more unified Saints and more worthy of a life with God.

The blessings of sacrifice to the individual and to the Church are tremendous. Secular studies on religion show that high demand of church members increases attendance, growth, donations, health and marital stability while reducing free-riding and juvenile delinquency (all sources cited in Iannaccone's Introduction to the Economics of Religion, 1998, pp. 8-9). If that short-but-action-packed list isn't enough, countless, less measurable blessings remain including humility, sociality and perspective.

In short, sacrifice is a gospel practice and covenant that assists in the perfecting of the Saints. The Church has always encouraged sacrifice from its members to motivate true worship, full conversion and individual health and happiness. Living the law of sacrifice brings tremendous blessings upon the Church and the individual.