I was looking up some scriptures on Christ in The Bible when I came across this parable at random. In Mathew 18 we read that if a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray he will go out and look for the one sheep and leave the other ninety nine. And if he finds that one sheep, "He rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray".
This is really interesting and humbling to think about. Often times as members of the church who are really following Christ's teachings we may feel we deserve God's Love and Happiness more than another. That's not true. It made me think that if I were lined up with people of all kinds, some following, some struggling, some pacing along that Heavenly Father would not pick me out of that crowd simply because I am following His commandments. Heavenly Father has the capacity to love each of us the same, and He does.
It made me think also that I must do what's right because I want to honor Heavenly Father and please Him, but not because I want His approval over another. It is a gift to be righteous, because it is for my own good and benefit. It heightens my self esteem, gives me clarity, provides comfort, and increases understanding. The reward is great for those who follow, and we shouldn't be worried who Heavenly Father goes looking for, or is rejoicing in. We should pray for them, and help Heavenly Father out!
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Each day, as I study the scriptures and pray I come to learn more about my own spirituality and purpose. I am deeply grateful for these little morsels of enrichment and the blessing of personal revelation as I continue my adventure here on Earth.
Where do we obtain the guidance we need? We turn to Him who knows us best—our Creator. He allowed us to come to earth with freedom to choose our own course. In His great love, He did not leave us alone. He provided a guide—a spiritual road map—to help us achieve success in our journey. We call that guide the standard works, so named because they—the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price—constitute the standard by which we should live. They serve as a standard of reference, as are standards of time, weights, and measures that are kept in national bureaus of standards.
To reach our objective of eternal life, we need to follow teachings in the standard works and other revelations received from prophets of God. Our loving Lord foresaw our need for guidance: “For strait is the gate,” He said, “and narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it. -Russell M. Nelson
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