Who's the Master?

I have to admit that I struggle sometimes. I see people who rely on what they believe to be superior intelligence, who have managed to baffle themselves so completely with their perceived intelligence that an angel of God couldn't convince them otherwise.

Part of why it's hard for me is that it feels like I'm arguing for not using your brain. Of course that would be wrong - everything we're given is expected to be used beneficially for ourselves and for others around us. But an over-reliance on any one gift, to the detriment of other gifts, can steer us very wrong.

I see this as I'm reading in Nephi today. It's 1 Nephi chapter 15, verse 3 especially. Here's Nephi who gets it. His dad had a vision, so what did Nephi do? He went to the Lord to get confirmation. What did his brothers do? They argued about the meaning of what Lehi told them. He said the explanation their father Lehi gave them was "hard to be understood, save a man should inquire of the Lord".

Simple enough. If you don't understand, go the Lord first, then to your brain second. Not your brain first, and the Lord never. He continues "and they being hard in their hearts, therefore they did not look unto the Lord as they ought".

I remember my mom saying once "We're all inactive, it's just a matter of degree". I've requoted her and remembered that for many decades. It never seems to hit home as much to anyone else as it does me. I'm thinking we're all "hard in our hearts" to some degree. We'd all rather decide for ourselves about whatever issue is at hand. And after we decide? Who needs the Lord? We have our decision made.

I have a painting in my home that I really appreciate. It's a Greg Olsen, titled woman at the well. Here is a woman that is listening intently to her Redeemer and Savior. She's not telling him her opinion, she's not formulating a witty response to what he's saying. She's listening intently. Her goal is to swallow up all of his words without missing anything. She is expressing love to her Master by listening humbly and completely to every word of his. Any of her previous opinions are irrelevant right now - she's listening to the Master.

May we rely on our Master more, and on our own limited skills less, as we navigate life. And perhaps this is true too: as soon as we think we've got it? That's when we know we've probably lost it.

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