“We cannot improve the world if we are conformed to the world.”
Come Follow Me Daily
A friend told my mom about a bar she used to go to in Mexico (she isn’t a member of the Church of Jesus Christ).
Every time a beautiful woman walked into the bar, the bartender would ring the bell and give the lady a free drink.
My mom’s friend was very pretty and when she walked into the bar, she got a free drink.
She went back to that bar once a year, the bell always rung, and she always got her free drink.
But one year when she walked in, the bell did not ring.
I thought of this as I read Abraham 1. Abraham lived in a society that worshipped false gods and sacrificed people to those false gods.
And while it may be easy for me to think “well I don’t do that!!” a quote from President Kimball made me ponder on it a bit more.
He states, “Whatever thing a man sets his heart and his trust in most is his god.”
Appearance,
Approval,
Financial stability,
Status,
Accomplishing tasks,
Science.
All things we can erroneously put our trust in.
All bells, ringing for our attention.
How many times do we then “sacrifice” others in the name of those false gods, putting relationships on the altar and standing on it to get a step up in the world?
John wrote, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.
“For […] world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15-17)
When the woman spoke of the day that the bell stopped ringing, she did it with a smile. She told my mom that she realized where she needed to put her trust and hope. Ultimately, her eyes needed to be set on Her Savior’s approval.
There are many bells that ring to get our attention.
But eventually, every worldly bell will stop ringing for us.
The world passes away.
But God and His truth stand. When we focus on His “bell,” it will forever ring for us.