The Importance of the One ...

This morning on my way into work, I happened across one of Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin's last talks before he passed away on Dec. 2, 2008. How dearly do I miss his sweet and unassuming presence; his kind heart; the affable twinkle in his eye. What an amazing servant of God he was (and is).

Elder Wirthlin began his April 2008 sermon with this insight into the life of President Monson (who had been sustained as the Prophet that afternoon). He said:

While it is a compliment to [President Monson] that many of the great and mighty of this world know and honor him, perhaps it is an even greater tribute that many of the lowly call him friend.

To his core, President Monson is kind and compassionate. His words and deeds exemplify his concern for the one.

I've always thought President Monson to be the walking epitome of charity ... but oh, the volumes more it speaks when Elder Wirthlin says, "Many of the lowly call him friend."

How often are we only willing to become (and remain) friends with those who have something to offer us? Prestige, power, money, thrills? Squishy feelings of love and acceptance? So often we effectively say to others, "bring these to the table, or don't bother sitting down."

But how rarely do we reach beyond our own thoughts and needs and instead of asking "what can this person bring to our friendship," ask, "what can I bring"?

If we desire to be "kind and compassionate" to the core, Elder Wirthlin suggests that we must change the object of our human relations from concern for the self and concern for the many to concern for the other and concern for the One. We must be willing, as the Savior said, to leave the ninety-and-nine that prosper so that we may seek out the One that wanders.

In this talk, Elder Wirthlin chose to focus, in part, on the Ones that are lost or feel out of place in this Church (for whatever reason). As he said:

Some are lost because they are different. They feel as though they don’t belong. Perhaps because they are different, they find themselves slipping away from the flock. They may look, act, think, and speak differently than those around them and that sometimes causes them to assume they don’t fit in. They conclude that they are not needed.

Tied to this misconception is the erroneous belief that all members of the Church should look, talk, and be alike. The Lord did not people the earth with a vibrant orchestra of personalities only to value the piccolos of the world. Every instrument is precious and adds to the complex beauty of the symphony. All of Heavenly Father’s children are different in some degree, yet each has his own beautiful sound that adds depth and richness to the whole.

Two thoughts from this amazing quote:

First, one of the greatest things we can do in this life is to help each One of God's sons and daughters realize their place in the grand symphonic Plan. Each One of us has a part to play ... sometimes we're just not sure what it is or are too timid to pipe up. When we stop spending all our time with the majority of the orchestra - who each know their part - and instead seek out and help that oh-so-crucial player who sits shyly, unsure of her part, how much better will the song become? How much more beautiful will life be for this new player that adds her tenor to the "complex beauty" of the Plan?

Second, if you're a piccolo of the world and get to feeling a little bit haughty, high, or mighty ... stop it. Now, don't get me wrong. Each piccolo is needed (and is most certainly loved) ... but at the same time, know that people can usually only take your shrill little whistle so long before they go running for the earplugs.

Instead of seeking to impress others with the rapture of our song or trying to make others switch instruments to play the part of the piccolo, we should withhold judgment, take a look around, and reach out to the One that sits apart ... to the One that sits alone.

The amazing thing is that, as we do this, we will come to understand our own part in God's symphony all the more clearly. After all,

He that findeth his life shall lost it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
- Matthew 10:39