There are so many advantages about being on a mission (and I'll probably write about this topic often) but one of my favorite moments are the study hours we have in the mornings. So many mysteries of the gospel open up to us when we crack open our eyelids and open up the scriptures! Well this morning Sister Hudson handed me a talk that her trainer gave her when she just came out on her mission. Brad Wilcox gave a speech at BYU on the balance of grace and works and the example he uses of practicing a piano makes the Atonement so applicable.
He says "Christ’s arrangement with us is similar to a mom providing music lessons
for her child. Mom pays the piano teacher... Because Mom pays the debt in full, she can turn to her
child and ask for something. What is it? Practice! Does the child’s
practice pay the piano teacher? No. Does the child’s practice repay Mom
for paying the piano teacher? No. Practicing is how the child shows
appreciation for Mom’s incredible gift. It is how he takes advantage of
the amazing opportunity Mom is giving him to live his life at a higher
level. Mom’s joy is found not in getting repaid but in seeing her gift
used—seeing her child improve. And so she continues to call for
practice, practice, practice...In the same way, because Jesus has paid justice, He can now turn to us
and say, “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19), “Keep my commandments” (John
14:15)...
Let’s put that in terms of our analogy: The child must practice the
piano, but this practice has a different purpose than punishment or
payment. Its purpose is change."
Christ has paid for everything and we can apply his gift in our lives by practicing being better every day.
Being obedient is hard. Thinking about others before ourselves is often inconvenient, but these investments get us so much farther in life. We become something more. That's the balance between grace and works. He has already paid for it so what are you going to do about it?
Please read the whole talk at
http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1966
