THE SACRIFICE OF ALL THINGS

 

 

“A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation; for from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things.” (Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith, Lecture 6:7)

You are no doubt familiar with two short but yet important stories in the New Testament. They are polar opposites. They speak of a rich young ruler and a poor penniless widow.

There was a very rich young man who approached Jesus asking Him what he needed to do to have eternal life. The Saviour listed all the commandments but the young man claimed he had lived them all since youth but he felt he still lacked something. Jesus told him, if he wished to be perfect, to sell everything he had and give all the money to the poor. The young man went away sorrowing choosing his earthly possessions over eternal life (Matthew 19:16-26).

Contrast this story with the story of a poor widow who cast into the temple treasury all the money she had whilst the rich came and cast in much to be seen of men. Jesus pointed out this hypocrisy to His disciples claiming the poor widow gave much more than any of them because she gave her ALL despite her ‘want’ (Mark 12:41-44). In other words, she donated all her money to God, disregarding her own needs, when she could ill afford it. To her, eternal life was more important than even the meal on her table.

What God requires of us most is our hearts and not our riches. He requires the sacrifice of our inner selves: our sins, our weaknesses, our disobedience, our self-will, our appetites, our passions, our selfishness. Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught the meaning of offering ourselves to the Lord: “Real, personal sacrifice never was placing an animal on the altar. Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal in us upon the altar and letting it be consumed!”  (In Conference Report, April 1995, 91 or Ensign May 1995, 68)

The sacrifice of anything that is a stumbling block to our progression leads to a holy nature: “We are still commanded to sacrifice, but not by shedding blood of animals. Our highest sense of sacrifice is achieved as we make ourselves more sacred or holy. (President Russell M. Nelson, “Lessons from Eve”, Ensign November 1987, 88)

The cost of sacrifice of all things might be high but consider the reward:  “And everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life” (Matthew 19:29). This is what Joseph meant when he spoke of all consuming sacrifice. He spoke from his frame of reference and that of the early pioneers of the Church.

Sometimes even though when we are living the Gospel, there is that one thing that keeps us away from wholly belonging to God, some earthly attachment that is demanding our constant attention and pre-occupation: whether it be possessions, friends, career, sin, weakness, pleasure, unhealthy relationship, a demanding hobby or addiction.

The young rich ruler obeyed all the commandments from youth but there was this one thing he would not do and it cost him eternal life. The poor widow on the other hand gave ALL: her desire, her intent her deed. That’s called ‘being consecrated to God’. 

- CATHRYNE ALLEN

(Art: The Widow's Mites by Liz Lemon Swindle)