Thinking about People First and Foremost

Jesus explained the importance of helping people very well in Luke 13. He encounters a very sick woman and heals her on the sabbath, though this is against the tradition of the Elders to do this. He basically says, you'd help animals on the Sabbath, but she's a daughter of Abraham (or of God), so do you really think I shouldn't help her? They were ashamed at their mode of thinking.

To relate this to our life, last week we went and stayed at the house of a single woman (roughly 60 yrs old) who is family to one of my best friends. This was Friday night. We try to not travel on the Sabbath at all, so we went home on Saturday. However, she said she would have enjoyed us staying that night and talking with her. I don't think we were bad people for choosing to go home, but I think Pres. Monson or Jesus would have stayed in the same situation, even if it meant missing conference on Sunday and traveling when we don't like to. People matter.

11 ¶And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.

12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.

13 And he ^alaid his ^bhands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

14 And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to ^awork: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.

15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?

16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the ^asabbath day?

17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.

Second Coming - How Will We Be Judged?

Matthew 24 tells of Jesus' explanation about the Second Coming. Matthew likely includes this detailed account to help answer the question, "If this is the Savior, why wasn't his coming as spectacular as we expected?" Matthew shares Jesus' message about the sign of His Second Coming in Matthew 24; this coming will be incredibly spectacular, and surely the world is becoming more and more technologically spectacular each day.

At the end of Matthew 24 and in Matthew 25, Jesus explains who will be prepared for his second coming. He essentially tells 4 stories.

1) His coming will be as a thief in the night, very unexpectedly. The good servant will continue doing good. The evil servant will:

48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord^adelayeth his coming;

49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

He will be mean to those around him and hang out with those wasting their time; doing nothing positive (the drunken).

2) Some will not be prepared (parable of the 10 virgins)

3) Some will take the investment God's made in them and double it, others will do nothing. (parable of the talents)

4) Some will bless the lives of others, and Jesus will consider that those actions were done to him. Others will ignore those in physical, emotional, or spiritual need. (parable of the sheep and the goats)

It appears clearer to me than ever before that it is not enough to live an okay life in which you don't hurt others but don't really help them. We must live a life looking after those around them and helping them get through difficulties in life. It is not okay to be idle, and it's not okay to be mean to others. We must lift others and do positive works.

Occasionally I've spoken with people who say, "I'm living a good life. I don't hurt anyone." I've also heard someone who supposedly wants to get back into good standing in the church say, "I don't commit any sins of commission, only sins of omission." It's very clear to me, that not doing something or doing wrong things in the end will cause someone to be out of the kingdom of heaven, not living with God or the Savior. Therefore, the end result isn't significantly different. Living a good life and blessing others is critical and is a major way we'll be judged.