Applying the Sermon on the Mount

While serving in the military, I was occasionally selected for hurricane duty. When needed, a few of us would fly to various places throughout the world where propositioned maritime equipment was located. Depending on the amount of notice, we untied boats from their moorings and sailed away from the path of the oncoming storm. Sometimes, notice was short and we had to sail the boats straight into gusty headwinds and treacherous waters that preceded the arrival of severe weather.  After avoiding or riding out a storm, we then returned the boats back to their original moorings.

Occasionally, we had the opportunity to talk with teams working on submarines. Inevitably, the topic of riding out storms arose and often ended with a laugh or two from the submarine teams—weather never affected those that maneuvered hundreds or even thousands of feet under water.

Similarly, a person who snorkels has adjust to the ever changing motion of the surface water with persistent sloshing and splashing; whereas a diver, once deep enough, has more control of what may be done within his quiet environment.

When making a comparison between navigating ever changing seas and a life within the gospel, I see that those whose testimonies don’t dive deep enough are often troubled and moved by every little thing. On the other hand, a person who has a great and deep appreciation of the eternal perspective remains undisturbed and is often at peace, even amidst times of adverse trial.

Shallow faith leads to struggles with worry, apprehension, overreaction and fear over every minor change in life. On the contrary, deep, abiding conviction provides calming hope and fills the soul with anticipation and knowledge that God’s hand will soon be revealed. 

As if wading in muddy shallow pools, how can one broaden an underdeveloped faith to become like the unmovable conviction found deeper in the azure sea?

Christ, as He taught the Sermon on the Mount provides some insight. 

When applied one principle upon the other, His teachings will deepen our understanding and appreciation of God and how He cares for His children.

Each will also help to build a final foundation of faith, hope and charity within us that cannot be stirred. We will know God lives, will hope for eternal life and will care for others enough to help them strive for their own salvation and redemption.

Matthew 5 shows the following:

“And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

The first principle is to be poor in spirit, meaning to be lowly in heart and mind. Once humble, an opportunity arises for the Lord to work from within. Seeds of desire to know God sprout. Then one begins to exercise faith in Christ—which will lead one to repentance, baptism for a remission of sins and receiving the Gift of the Holt Ghost.

Unfortunately, once baptized and confirmed, many cease increasing in faith and pause further progress along the path of righteous living. “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (3 Nephi 14:14)

Moreover, Nephi testifies, “And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.”

After becoming poor in spirit and cultivating the soul, one must learn how to endure to the end. 

The next principle taught in Christ’s sermon shows that after accepting the gospel, a person begins to sympathize with others who suffer or who have had a loss. 

"Most of us would like to help, but most of us feel inadequate... For some reason we feel embarrassed to show deep emotion or to be near someone who is showing deep emotion... The Spirit can guide us to know how to comfort those who grieve. Some people want to talk about their feelings. Others need someone to talk to them. Some want visitors; others prefer solitude...Do something, even though you may not know what to do... In our baptismal covenants we promise to be 'willing to bear one another’s burdens.'” (Ensign 9/1987) 

A sure sign that a person’s testimony lacks depth is when pleasure is found from  another’s misfortune.

Third, once humble and sympathetic, a person develops meekness—the ability to recognize individual capability and yet still always relying upon God. Though one thinks meekness is akin to mildness, the original New Testament text used the Greek term praus: meaning great power under control. Moses, who performed mighty miracles, even parting the Red Sea, is a great example of controlled might. Numbers 12:3 says “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.”

A.W. Tozer once wrote, “The meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather he may be in his moral life as bold as a lion and as strong as Samson; but he has stopped being fooled about himself. He has accepted God's estimate of his own life. He knows he is as weak and helpless as God declared him to be, but paradoxically, he knows at the same time that he is in the sight of God of more importance than angels. In himself, nothing; in God, everything. That is his motto."

Ammon remarked, “Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.”

Fourth, greater reliance on God through meekness leads to more hunger and thirst for righteousness. As with all heavenly expectations, being righteous is an active pursuit. One cannot be sedentary in observance of God’s law. Blessed are they who DO, for they shall be filled.

Fifth, in the development of testimony is the ability to forgive. Holding a grudge is natural and endorsed by the worldly (I may forgive, but I will never forget). Being merciful though, is what is expected. Offering clemency purges the soul of all waste and encumbrances. Poor health and physical deterioration often are fruits of harshness and begrudging others. In addition, one cannot obtain forgiveness unless one forgives.

President Dieter Uchtdorf shared, "We can so clearly and easily see the harmful results that come when others judge and hold grudges. And we certainly don’t like it when people judge us. But when it comes to our own prejudices and grievances, we too often justify our anger as righteous and our judgment as reliable and only appropriate. Though we cannot look into another’s heart, we assume that we know a bad motive or even a bad person when we see one. We make exceptions when it comes to our own bitterness because we feel that, in our case, we have all the information we need to hold someone else in contempt. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans, said that those who pass judgment on others are “inexcusable.” The moment we judge someone else, he explained, we condemn ourselves, for none is without sin.5 Refusing to forgive is a grievous sin—one the Savior warned against. Jesus’s own disciples had “sought occasion against [each other] and forgave not one another in their hearts; and for this evil they were afflicted and sorely chastened.” Our Savior has spoken so clearly on this subject that there is little room for private interpretation. “I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive,” but then He said, “… of you it is required to forgive all men.” May I add a footnote here? When the Lord requires that we forgive all men, that includes forgiving ourselves. Sometimes, of all the people in the world, the one who is the hardest to forgive—as well as perhaps the one who is most in need of our forgiveness—is the person looking back at us in the mirror."

Sixth, after washing the soul through offering others forgiveness, one obtains a pure heart. A pure heart allows a person to see the hand of God in all things until eventually and literally, one shall see Him.

"All things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of [God], both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me." Moses 6:63

Seventh, once knowing the reality of God, one seeks for and creates peace.

When Christ visited the Americas after His resurrection, He immediately emphasized the following: "For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another."

Contention causes suffering, even the ultimate suffering of our God which led Him to sweat as Luke saw, “great drops of blood”.  Understanding Christ and the burden He bore in the Garden of Gethsemane, becomes the ultimate cause behind one’s desire to end all conflict and to publish peace. 

“If our hearts have been hardened, yea, if we have hardened our hearts against the word, insomuch that it has not been found in us, then will our state be awful, for then we shall be condemned. For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from his presence.” (Alma 12)

President Henry B. Eyring teaches, “Happily I am seeing more and more skillful peacemakers who calm troubled waters before harm is done. You could be one of those peacemakers, whether you are in the conflict or an observer.”

Eighth and finally, as one understands eternity, a person clearly sees the difference between good and evil; then knowing the difference, will always stand for good regardless of the persecution.  

David Lin, a man celebrated for his courage and endurance in the face of religious persecution under China’s Communist regime, died February 10, 2011, four days before his 94th birthday.  He was a Christian pastor who refused to abandon his faith, and so endured 17 years’ imprisonment, forced labor, and separation from his wife and five children. After being exonerated, he wrote about his confinement without bitterness, saying: “In retrospect, I praise God for His providential care in making all things work out for the good of all those concerned.”

One cannot control what life on Earth offers. However, one should take charge of the search for truth, light and knowledge.

Rather than tread water and hope for pleasant weather, be ever diligent in cultivating deeper dedication and appreciation for the Lord and His Gospel until that great day when He will say, “well done thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the Lord.”