Monday, September 15, 2014

Spirituality: The Heart’s Treasure

In this post:  Ideas that are corrosive, Universal truths, Core Books, Spirituality defined 

The law of the harvest is that a good tree produces good fruit and a good heart says and does good things. (Matt 12:33-35)  I talked about harvesting things in my last post entitled the Parable of the Sower

Everything we see, read, think and believe becomes the treasure of our hearts.  So I see a movie and the quote stays with me, 

Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life - well, valuable, but small - and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? (You’ve Got Mail)  

I read Shakespeare and I stop to think about, 

Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them. (Twelfth Night)  

I believe that God has prepared a way for me to accomplish great things (1 Ne. 3:7) and together these three plus opportunity result in me doing hard things.


From QuotesEverlasting
The heart’s treasure grows throughout our lives and is only tarnished by the evil things we see, think and believe.  In Colossians we are warned, 

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”  

This makes me think that certain ideas are corrosive.  They eat away our faith and hope.  They deceive us into hating our fellow men.  Can we really allow this to happen?

It is a universal law of nature that nothing is wasted.  There is an efficiency to the efforts of the plant and animal kingdoms.  If we are to live by this law we must not waste our time in mindless pursuits.  We run the risk of polluting God’s kingdom with our hearts’ treasure.  

D&C 84: 58-59, 85
58 That they may bring forth fruit meet for their Father’s kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgment to be poured out upon the children of Zion.
59 For shall the children of the kingdom pollute my holy land? Verily, I say unto you, Nay.
85 …treasure up in your minds continually the words of life…

The words of life are found in your Core Book.  My Core Books are scriptural and classic*.  Yours might be the same as mine or they might be something else.  A Core Book holds the truths we are guided by in life.  These truths produce the blessings of strong relationships, stable lives and solid homes or the condemnation of broken homes.  I think life is about testing out truths and finding the best ones to be guided by.  There is no shame in brokenness unless we never find the higher truth and live by it.  Once we find the truth, we must sell all we have to obtain it, just like the parable of the pearl in a field.

Matt 13:44
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Spirituality reflects a heart’s treasure of Divine and universal truths.  It is an openness to the words of life wherever they are found.  It is a preference for ideas that guide and benefit the soul.  Spirituality happens when, “the solemnities of eternity rest upon your minds.” (D&C 43:34)


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*If you liked this post or want to see my Core Book list, you might like my Principles of Spiritual Nutrition.

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1 comment:

William said...

I love your essay on the heart's treasure. I'm so proud of you! MOM