Parable of the Indian Butter Chicken

Parable of the Indian Butter Chicken

This last Thursday I received a text message around 3:30 in the afternoon reminding me that the sister missionaries were coming to eat dinner at our house and asking if 6 would be a good time. I was so excited to cook up my favorite meal for them: Indian Butter Chicken. Unfortunately I was nowhere near ready. I had an online test to finish for school, the house looked like a tornado had touched down, and I was missing an ingredient on my list.

I rushed to finish my test and pick up what I could around the house, judging that I could run to the store around 5 and be back in time to get the food finished before they arrived. Little did I know that in the course of me “running” to the store and back I would get stuck behind not one, but TWO trains and that my six-month old would throw up all over the seat of the car right as I was putting her in. Not only that, but, my glorious Indian Butter Chicken recipe would create a garam masala volcano all over the kitchen soon after I began the cooking process. Needless to say, it was well after 6 before dinner was finally ready. Luckily the sister missionaries took pity on the headless chicken that I was and kindly helped me finish up.

Parable of The Ten Virgins

Now, fortunately I have been studying my scriptures this week preparing for this talk and as all the mayhem was occurring the Spirit whispered an important thought into my heart: I was being the foolish woman Jesus talked about in his parable of the ten virgins! I had the chance to have representatives of Jesus Christ come to my house for dinner and I had waited until the last moment to prepare!

In the New Testament we read about the parable I referred to. During his last week on earth Jesus taught his disciples about the dangers of procrastination by telling a story about ten women waiting to go to a wedding. In the parable the women take their lamps in preparation to wait for the bridegroom, who according to Jewish tradition would come at a time that was decided by his father and not known by anyone else. The women waited what must have been a long time, and then at midnight the call came that the bridegroom was on his way! 5 of the women were prepared for his coming and lit their lamps with the extra oil they’d brought while the other 5 were left scrambling, much like I was in preparation for dinner with the missionaries. They wanted to make that last trip to the store, but it was too late, the festivities had already begun and they were left behind. I wonder what those 5 women were busy doing while the others were preparing? Were they slaving away trying to make their houses spotless? Were they occupied with comparing one another’s outfits and hairdos? Were they catching up on the latest entertainment series or news report or social media discussions?

Where Will This Lead?

In a talk this past April President Oaks stated: “We make many choices between two goods, often involving how we will spend our time. There is nothing bad about playing video games or texting or watching TV or talking on a cell phone. But each of these involves what is called “opportunity cost,” meaning that if we spend time doing one thing, we lose the opportunity to do another. I am sure you can see that we need to measure thoughtfully what we are losing by the time we spend on one activity, even if it is perfectly good in itself. As we make current decisions, we should always be asking, “Where will this lead?” (Oaks, 2019).

There was nothing wrong with the activities that I had planned to accomplish before the missionaries arrived, but when reflecting on the “opportunity cost” between making sure my house was spotless and having dinner prepared I chose to focus on the outward appearance of my home in place of having food ready so that the missionaries could be effective and timely with their schedules.

Small and Simple Things

This instance might not have been an eternally significant one, and oftentimes the situations in which we have to make similar decisions don’t seem to be that important either. However, the Lord has taught that “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6) For example, when my husband and I were first married we determined that we would make an effort to attend the temple weekly while living here in Rexburg. Unfortunately that goal has been thwarted many weeks due to the preference we give to less important activities. One week in particular we delayed our temple attendance until late Saturday evening. Feeling good that we were still making an “effort” we hurried to the temple only to find that the doors had closed just minutes before we arrived. I don’t remember exactly what things got in the way of our opportunity to be in the house of the Lord, but I do remember the disappointment I felt as I looked in at the temple workers through the locked door. Had we asked ourselves with each activity “Where will this lead?” we might have had the chance to participate in saving ordinances that week, a blessing that would have added to our reservoir of faith.

Does It Make A Difference?

Another example of this important principle can be seen in the story of the starfish. One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?” The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.” “Son,” the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said…” I made a difference for that one.”

The boys small act of service seemed only to impact the lives of the few starfish he was able to save. However, I am sure that young boy saving starfish would grow to become a man saving souls. The small acts of service that we perform throughout our lives take effect on our character to develop us into dedicated disciples of Christ. Elder D. Todd Christofferson stated, “The more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls.” In addition to asking ourselves “Where will this lead” as we make daily decisions I wonder if we could include the question “Will this make a difference?”

Have I Done Any Good?

It is interesting to note that according to Jewish customs, the ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom were most likely bridesmaids whose responsibility it was to light the way for the bridegroom. If we are to consider ourselves those bridesmaids, we see that our actions indeed light the way for others to come unto Christ. The opportunities to present this light to others will not always be clearly spelled out beforehand. We must be prepared to serve in any instance that the Lord asks. President Thomas S. Monson, an incredible example of constant service stated, “I am confident it is the intention of each member of the Church to serve and to help those in need. At baptism we covenanted to “bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light.”⁸ How many times has your heart been touched as you have witnessed the need of another? How often have you intended to be the one to help? And yet how often has day-to-day living interfered and you’ve left it for others to help, feeling that “oh, surely someone will take care of that need.”

“We become so caught up in the busyness of our lives. Were we to step back, however, and take a good look at what we’re doing, we may find that we have immersed ourselves in the “thick of thin things.” In other words, too often we spend most of our time taking care of the things which do not really matter much at all in the grand scheme of things, neglecting those more important causes.” In adding to our list of evaluating questions I add, quoting my favorite hymn, “Have I done any good in the world today?”

I understand that we all have many tasks calling for our time and attention. Many of these tasks really are important to our temporal well-being, but perhaps we could aim more effort to sacrificing the unimportant to make room for the eternally essential. Or as President Oaks put it, “We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families” (Oaks).

Prepare Now

In the Book of Mormon the missionary Amulek teaches “NOW is the time and the day of your salvation...THIS life is the time for men to prepare to meet God…” (Alma 34:31-32). Working as a nurse at the hospital I witnessed the challenges that many people go through as they face unexpected illnesses and accidents. Of the patients I watched slip from this life to the next, few were forewarned that their time on earth had come to an end. I have often wondered whether or not I am prepared to be in their shoes. Just like the ten virgins waiting for the bridegroom we “know neither the day nor the hour” when we will be called up to our heavenly home. Our time on earth is so small compared to forever, but each moment is a brushstroke on the canvas of eternity.  The choices that we make will ultimately make us.

If you are anything like me you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed by the quantity of “to-do’s” and “to-becomes” on your agenda. Fortunately for us we have been blessed with the fortifying teachings of the gospel and the guiding influence of the Holy Ghost. Elder Uchtdorf teaches ,“Strength comes not from frantic activity but from being settled on a firm foundation of truth and light. It comes from placing our attention and efforts on the basics of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. It comes from paying attention to the divine things that matter most” (Uchtdorf, 2010).

When the time comes will we be scrambling for that last ingredient or will we be ready to invite the Savior in confidently, knowing that we will feel comfortable in his presence because we have tried to be like Him. The choice is ours and the time to decide is now. With each decision that faces us, let us ask ourselves “Where will this lead?” “Will it make a difference?” And ultimately “Have I done any good in the world today?”

I have faith that my Savior will return. This faith encourages me to “try a little harder to be a little better” each day as President Hinckley used to say. I look forward to that day with hopes that I will feel confident in His presence. I cannot be perfect until that day, but in the meantime I will try my hardest to be perfect at repenting. I know that we are children of God and that this life is part of an eternal plan of happiness and salvation. I know that families indeed can be together forever. I know that Jesus Christ lived, suffered, died, and lives again for me and for you. I know that by following the gospel of Jesus Christ we can find true happiness in this life and in the life to come.