New Twist on Running Faster than You are Able

Remember, remember that we are commanded not to run faster than we are able?

When we, or at least I hear or read that, I am inclined to think only about myself: "I shouldn't stress about doing more than I am asked to do (which is absolutely true -- think of Ammon/Aaron [taking too much "joy" in yourself and your accomplishments or Alma's soliloquy "Oh, that I were an angel").  But, what about everyone else?  Can you think of everybody else having been commanded not to run faster than they are able?!?

Now, apply that very same principle to everyone else" that are not running faster than they are able!  You zealot!

So stop thinking that the world should be further along than it is (even though we should all be, individually, continually improving and becoming better at keeping the covenants we've made); stop wishing that people should be better able to control themselves (and remember that you should worry about better controlling YOURSELF better!!!); stop wondering why some people (specifically and individually) aren't better than they are.  We all should be better than we are, but you need to be more charitable and stop being the world's judge and your brother's and sister's judge!

Jesus Christ, our perfect exemplar, is worried about helping them become better (and, for that matter, helping YOU become better) but not "worried about them" in the moment, but is actively helping them at being better than they are right now.  Christ is perfectly charitable--charitable for everyone--it's He that paid the price for their sins and weaknesses, paid the price for their infirmities and sadness; can't you just let Him do His job?  He is only doing it perfectly well...have you ever done job or anything as perfectly well?  Give Him and give them a break!

Do start/keep being and becoming better!  Remember all that you've already learned from the scriptures and the temple and from college and Terry Warner: As you improve and are a better person, you will be giving those around you different things to respond-to and different requests ("respond to me as a human [I-Thou], instead of an object [I-it]" and as you become more perceptive to the Spirit, you will make better choices and do and say the things that your Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ would want you to do/say).

Think of your own family.  Both you and every single member of your family has been commanded not to run faster than they are able--in other words, don't try to do more than you've been asked to do and if you find yourself trying to do just that--STOP IT!!!

Be more patient.  Be more charitable.  Be more of both!

JPS