“Learning and Living the Character of Christ” by Robert Smith

A fond memory I have from my early childhood is of my dad dropping my siblings and me off at our elementary school each day. Every morning as we got out of the car, he would say, “Remember who and what you are.” It was a short way of saying, “You have a familial reputation to uphold and a duty to yourself and others to never do anything less than your very best in all things.” And while I have even earlier memories to suggest that that was a set of ideas I knew innately, I’m very grateful to my dad for etching them into my mind and heart each morning before I set off to face my little world at school. The principle has been a guiding light to me amidst great challenges.

Rob Smith’s latest book, “Learning and Living the Character of Christ,” is an exposition and elaboration of the sentiment behind my dad’s daily admonition. It is centered in the idea that, by learning more and more about the character of Christ and by living everything we learn, we become more like him. To my mind, it is such a simple, reasonable, and exquisitely beautiful idea, it is shocking to me how many people ignore, reject, and even contend against it when it is presented to them.

In the book, the author not only presents the plausible argument that we can be like Christ in character, but also the less-likely-to-be-applauded argument that we must be like Christ in character in order to experience the greatest possible joy. Christ demonstrated the highest potential of human character, and he calls us to follow him. His gospel enables us to acquire his character, facilitating the same for others who might not otherwise engage in the process because they believe the outcome to be impossible.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

Some erroneously think that believing that a person can become like God somehow degrades God. Those who contend that a man could never be like God think they are making a statement about the baseness of human nature, not realizing they are simultaneously minimizing the power of God, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the efficacy of his gospel. The assertion that God is mighty enough to enable man to become more like him is not blasphemous—it is quite the opposite. It doesn’t demean God to believe that he has the power to make us more like he is. It actually glorifies him! (pg. 13)

God’s power comes from his character. It is the embodiment of his characteristics of wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment that make[s] him God. These attributes, coupled with his knowledge of all things, are what [enable] him to have all power. (pg. 48)

God’s power is found in God’s purpose, and those who only pursue the parts of his purpose that are pleasant will find very little of his power. Only those who are as willing to advance God’s purpose when it hurts them as they are when it helps them will possess more than minimal power with God. (pg. 56)

The Lord’s power is for advancing the Lord’s purpose. The more you seek the will of God, the more often you will find the power to accomplish what you desire. God’s purposes cannot be frustrated, and to the extent you make his purposes your own, neither can yours. (pg. 57)

Every outcome has a cause, regardless of whether or not we yet know or understand it. God’s power derives from his knowledge of and adherence to these relationships. God is how he is because of the laws he lives. The source of his power is knowing the relationship of cause and effect in all things to a greater extent than we do. God knows and understands all things. He sees what we are ignorant of, and he understands relationships we do not know.

A principle reason for creation is to provide each of us with the opportunity to obtain a greater measure of God’s power through the acquisition of a greater portion of God’s knowledge. To the extent that you lack the knowledge of God, you lack God’s power. In order to encounter greater manifestations of God’s power in your life, you must not only reconcile yourself to your present awareness of reality, but increase it. It is impossible to learn more about God’s character without learning more about his creation, or more about his creation without learning more about his character. The more you learn about reality, and more effectively you use your knowledge to bring to pass better outcomes than would otherwise occur, the more of God’s power you will experience. (pg. 59)

Jesus is the example of both the end and the means of salvation, the archetype of eternal life. The role of the Lord as the archetype of eternal life is unnecessarily obscured by weak translations of the Greek word archégos (Strong’s 747), which means “the first example.” An archégos is the first person who demonstrates something by doing it, and by demonstrating it, makes a way for others to do the same. (pg. 67)

Those who believe they can become like God behave differently than those who do not. It is rare to find a person who actually believes that they can become like God. One who thinks this will act and feel very differently than one who does not. They will purify themselves by following his example as far as they understand it. (pg. 70)

The life of Christ was meant to be irrefutable proof that the gospel “…works for you just as it did for Christ….” (1 John 2:8, The Living Bible) The example of Christ is obscured for those who do not understand that the only difference between us and Jesus is that, because he was born sinless, he had power over his own life and could therefore atone for the sins of the world by enduring pain beyond what would kill anyone else. Everything else he did was through power available to anyone willing to choose to live as he did. (pg. 71)

 

Immortality is to live forever. However, having a state of immortality does not imply the quality of that life. Eternal life is the quality of someone’s immortality. Eternal life is by degrees. It is to learn more about and live more of the character of Jesus Christ for the purpose of obtaining more of his joy. The more someone obtains the character of Jesus, the greater portion of his joy they also obtain and the higher the quality of their eternal life. (pg. 130)

The Lord’s purpose is the only one that endures eternally. It is a unique solution to the puzzle of eternal meaning. Christ is the triumph over the tragedy of life. Unconditional preference for the Lord’s desires in your life will establish you on a sure foundation strong enough to weather the unwelcome and inevitable disappointments that will overwhelm any lesser aim in life. Only in the purpose of Jesus can you find meaning that overcomes the torment of life. (pg. 134)

Those who serve God prefer God’s will to their own. Disciples of Christ dedicate themselves to his purpose. They follow the Lamb’s example without exception or reservation (see Revelation 14:4). While we are indeed commanded to ask God for those things which we need or desire, our requests are only effectual inasmuch as they align with the will and character of the Father and the Son. (pp. 135-136)

It is the tendency of mankind to seek self-benefit. The only remedy for the deep-seated selfishness of mankind is to willingly submit to God. In opposition to man’s natural motive—which is to get everything he can, irrespective of what it costs others—God’s motive is to maximize the joy of all, irrespective of what it costs him. The transition from one’s natural state into a servant of God occurs as one learns and lives to maximize the purpose of God, which is to provide everything necessary so that all people progress as far as they are willing to into greater and longer-lasting happiness. (pg. 139)

Submission to God includes an unconditional agreement with all things he could ask of you, and an admission that all things really means all things. The sacrifice of all things is required to become like the Lord—he who has sacrificed all things for us. Those who are unwilling to sacrifice all things—even their lives —for the Lord’s purpose are unworthy of him and the blessings he provides. The Lord’s servants seek above all else to make his goodness more apparent to all, whether in life or death. Paul counted “all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8) because to obtain the faith by which he could enjoy the knowledge of the Lord, he had to suffer the loss of all lesser things. Until you do the same, you cannot confidently assert that you fully trust God, because you lack the currency necessary to quantify it. (pg. 143)

 

Sin is the choice to do less than you know is best. Sin requires that you know what is better and that you have the power to choose it. Therefore, sin is always a choice. Repentance is not a question of willpower. It is a question of value, honesty, and trust in God. Anytime you improve these things, you will move towards repentance. (pg. 156)

Knowing someone’s character is more difficult the more sophisticated they are. The more sophisticated a person is, the more variations and layers will exist in what they do, why they do it, and how they feel across varying situations. The more sophisticated a person’s character, the more partial your understanding of their character will be, and the more your understanding can increase in breadth and accuracy as you observe and analyze them in different situations over time. The more knowledge they have, the more nuanced their beliefs, the more complex their desires, and the purer their motives, the more there is to learn and the more opportunities there are to make mistakes in predicting their experience in a specific situation. (pg. 179)

The Lord’s responses to our questions are subject to what we are willing to receive. The more you know and live God’s character, the more directly and immediately he can answer the questions you ask him. The more you know him, the more building blocks you have from which he can construct the answer to your questions. The less about him you know, the more he will have to lay out to you in order to answer your questions, and the more likely limits in your cognitive abilities, diligence, or trust in him are to form a barrier between you and the answer to your question. (pg. 188)

 

Holy means that which is different and better. You can’t correctly judge what is better beyond the limits of your appraisal of value. In order to recognize God’s holiness, you need to correctly perceive available options and the long-term net benefit of each. The less you know about reality and the less correctly you assess value, the less prepared you are to recognize the holiness of God. (pg. 207)

The more details with which you fit your model [of God], the more correct that model will be. When thinking, studying, and asking about how God would behave in a given situation, use as much detail as you can. You need to know not just what he would do, think, or feel in general, but in a given situation. You need to know not just what he would do, think, or feel, but what he would not do, think, or feel, and why. For example, when you read that he did a certain thing in the scriptures, ask what about that specific situation made his action the best it could be. Enumerate other options he had and figure out why their long-term net benefit was less than what he chose. Every additional detail you learn in seeking God’s will provides you with a clue to improve your model. (pg. 227)

Who can read these quotes and not feel inspired to become better than they are currently? There are so many more quotes that I could include here! Chapter 18, on “the words of eternal life,” is fantastic! Have to include this one from that chapter:

1 The word has always existed. Having the word and being the word is what makes God who and what he is.

2 Before the world was created, Jesus Christ was with the Father, and had obtained and become the word.

3 He made all things according to the pattern by which all things have ever been made, according to the word.

4 He had obtained eternal life before this world was, and by laying down his eternal life, he provided the light of men. (John 1, Author’s Reflection) (pg. 290)

That rendition of those verses is so much clearer and so much more accurate than what can be found in any other English translation!

Chapter 19, on “the name of Christ” is so sublime and resonated so deeply with personal experiences I have had that it took me quite some time to finish it for all the tears of joy I shed while reading it.

It is possible to learn about and live the character of Christ. It is possible to know him—what he understands, what he desires, what he values, what he does, and why. As you come to know him more fully, you will be better equipped to engage in his work, not because you will know about him, but because you will have come become like him.

This book should be regarded as an invitation from him to truly approach him, in character, and you should take him up on it.

“Learning and Living the Character of Christ” can be purchased here on Amazon at print cost and can also be found as a free, downloadable PDF here on the author’s website, UpwardThought.org.

Laws of Continuity

Listen to the voice of the Lord your God, even Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, whose course is one eternal round, the same today as yesterday, and forever. (D&C 35:1)

Behold, I am God; Man of Holiness is my name; Man of Counsel is my name; and Endless and Eternal is my name, also. (Moses 7:35) 

Many years ago, the Lord showed me, in vision, the idea that the literary device of a chiasmus was indicative of God’s dealings with man throughout the entirety of human existence on this earth. I made a blogpost about it quite some time ago. The structure of the chiasmus presented there is extremely rudimentary. Without question, there are details that could be filled in at many levels. It was, however, like so many other things the Lord has taught me, a necessary piece in the infinitely larger puzzle of discovering who and how God is.

The structure I presented “on paper” is very angular, very finite, and, consequently, very limited in its expression of my understanding of God’s actual dealings with mankind. In the verses above, God describes himself as “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end,” yet he also says that his “course is one eternal round” and that his name is “Endless and Eternal.”

The chiastic structure sheds light and importance on those events that fall within the certain period of time demarcated by a beginning and an end, but I think that there are improvements that could be made to better represent God’s dealings with mankind. We would, more correctly, turn the straight lines of the chiasmus into semi-circles that mirrored each other, and then change the resulting circle, defined by a center point, into a spiral, defined by an axis, that extended into a third dimension.

God is able to bring about his eternal purposes because he acts according to laws that were established from before the foundations of this world. This is true for laws that have effects within mortality, and it is also true for laws whose effects extend beyond mortality. Indeed, God’s eternal purposes would have been frustrated from the beginning had he not understood and made provisions for the fulfillment of the laws required to ensure the continuity of his plans. 

20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated. (D&C 130) 

Here on earth, we don’t understand, or even know about, these laws, at first. However, our becoming like God is dependent upon our discovery of and adherence to these laws. If we desire the same blessings that God enjoys, including the kind of life he lives, we are required to take upon ourselves his character, which is to live the same laws he lives for the same reasons, and we cannot expect the same blessings he has if we don’t.

9 Will I accept of an offering, saith the Lord, that is not made in my name?

10 Or will I receive at your hands that which I have not appointed?

11 And will I appoint unto you, saith the Lord, except it be by law, even as I and my Father ordained unto you, before the world was? (D&C 132)

For honest seekers of truth, engagement in God’s work will begin as a seed—small, and at an intimate and individual level, but it will also invariably lead them to discover the laws that facilitate the continuity of God’s character and purposes throughout His creations. The fulfillment of these laws is necessary in order for God’s purposes to roll forth, uninterrupted.

May God’s servants, increasingly, be made more aware of these laws and humbly submit to them, that they may put all things in this world under their feet.

Stones and Serpents

 

• 7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
• 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
• 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
• 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
• 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? (Matthew 7)

I am constantly amazed at how layered the scriptures are. There is such depth and applicability, and as we strive to become deep people ourselves and to apply all God has to teach to us, he can break through the limitations of how we currently understand him to be and show us how he actually is.

You've probably heard these verses in Matthew 7 before, and you have probably heard them taught to mean that we should ask God for things we want, believing he will give them to us. Many people think these verses are saying that, because he is so much a better father than any earthly father, God will give us whatever we ask for. While there is an element of truth to that, I take issue with the notion that this is, somehow, the ideal. It isn't–not because God isn't the ideal, but because, as human beings, we have such a propensity to receive less than the best things he desires to give us. This ought to be easily recognized, since no rational adult would believe it's best to give a child whatever they ask for. Not only will children often ask for things that are less than the best, they will also sometimes ask for things that are absolutely terrible for them. If we, "being evil," know better than to give those things to them, should we not believe the same about what God would and would not give to us? Should we not believe that he has the wisdom to introduce the best things to us instead?

How would you feel if you were a son asking for bread from his father and he gave you a stone? How would you feel if you asked for fish and he gave you a serpent? Would you be perplexed? Probably. Would you question his love for you? Would you doubt the goodness of his character? 

How would those feelings change if you knew those things were related to him somehow? Stones and serpents are symbols of Christ. Is it possible that, in giving them to you, he would be introducing you to aspects of himself that you currently see as unattractive and undesirable? It is possible, and I believe that this is exactly what Jesus is trying to convey in this passage of scripture. (I won't quote it here, but I recently stumbled upon the Joseph Smith Translation of Matthew 7, and I think it affirms this interpretation.)

If you live it correctly, the gospel becomes a mechanism to teach us about the things that will truly fulfill our desires. There are many things that won't, and God knows this. He also knows that most people are likely to want the things that won't. However, the truth is that we have to start somewhere, and God delights in us taking our initial desires to him. He wants us to ask for bread, and he wants us to ask for fish, but truly living the gospel requires us (1) to be humble and teachable, acknowledging the counterfeits when they are revealed to be such and (2) to willingly receive the real things that will truly and lastingly fulfill our desires, however unappealing they may seem to be, at first.

God is the best Father. He has no problem giving us stones and serpents when they are for our benefit. If you are honest in heart and you are taking your desires to him with the expectation that he will lead you to the things that best fulfill those desires, don't be afraid when he gives you stones and serpents. Don't even be surprised. Ask him for the reasons why the stones and serpents are better than the things you asked for, and even though it might take a while, he will tell you why and how those stones and serpents are part of his plan for you, which is to help you become as He is (which is to help others become as he is—worlds without end).

Shift Your Understanding–Some Thoughts on Psalm 22

A little less than a week ago, I was re-watching a video from Rob Smith's "UpwardThought" YouTube channel and was deeply impressed by the following:

"The point is if you find things in your life that aren't the best, just let them go. And, uh, get yourself what is the best. And how will you know? That's...that's its own long topic, but it's a process; it's a process where you're going to learn to better appraise the value of things. But if it's not doing what it's supposed to do–it's not performing as advertised–odds are it needs to go, or you need to shift your understanding of what its purpose is." (Rise Up, O Men of God, Part I, 00:44:18)

Together with recent scripture study sessions and life experiences, this quote led me to recall and ponder the events surrounding Jesus' crucifixion.

In their anticipation of the Messiah, were the Jews expecting the best? Well, they certainly thought they were. Some few may have even been looking for someone who would reform the religious system that they knew was corrupt, but most were desperately searching for someone to bring centuries of political oppression to an end, and Jesus increasingly looked like he was the one to do it. Sadly, and because of this, the many words of wisdom he shared and the many miracles he performed were not enough to convince the masses that he was the Messiah, but the raising of Lazarus from the dead was pivotal. A man who could raise the dead could surely conquer the enemies of the Jews, and a celebration of Jesus' entrance into the city of Jerusalem seemed quite fitting to the throngs of people who were there in preparation for the Passover.

How their feelings would change as that last week of Jesus' life came to a close! How the hopes of the people must have been dashed as they saw Jesus appear to be completely powerless before both the Sanhedrin and the Romans! Had they been duped by yet another false Messiah? Why wasn't he doing what he was supposed to do? Why wasn't he living up to their expectations? Perhaps he wasn't the best, and not only did they let him go, but they called for his death, many of them believing that, in being crucified, he was getting exactly what he deserved for the deception they assumed he perpetrated against them.

To the Jews, Jesus was one of those things mentioned in the above quote that didn’t "[perform] as advertised." He wasn't doing what they thought he was supposed to do, and everything about the quality of his life in the hours leading up to his death seemed to prove that their collective assessment of him was correct.

In reality, however, Jesus was the best. He was doing exactly what he was supposed to do, given the circumstances. The people simply failed to do what they could have done, which was to look past what was unappealing to them and to shift their understanding of what "the best" was and why. Not only was this what they could have done, it was precisely what Jesus was inviting them to do by quoting the first verse of Psalm 22.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46)

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? (Psalm 22:1)

Everything Jesus did during his life was full of meaning and intention, and this question he asks while hanging on the cross is no exception. It is absolutely brilliant and genius! 

That first verse of Psalm 22 can easily catch anyone unfamiliar with the chapter in their ignorance of what they would find if they read and understood what lies beyond it. The first few verses might actually seem a little depressing, or even defeatist, to some:

1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.

3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

4 Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.

5 They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.

6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,

8 He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. (Psalm 22)

However, what David messianically unfolds is the trust that both he and Christ have in God. Though David enumerates the details of the difficult circumstances in which Jesus would find himself, David also declares that the God mentioned in verses 3-4–the God in whom their fathers trusted–is the same God in whom Christ trusted from his youth and the same God in whom he will continue to trust.

9 But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts.

10 I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly.

11 Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.

12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.

13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.

18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

19 But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.

20 Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.

21 Save me from the lion’s mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns. (Psalm 22)

The remainder of the chapter beautifully expresses true faith in God, who will bring about all righteousness and judgment, in spite of any difficulty in circumstance.

22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.

24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.

25 My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.

27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

28 For the kingdom is the LORD’s: and he is the governor among the nations.

29 All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this. (Psalm 22)

Psalm 22:1 was an incredibly apt metaphor for Jesus himself in the moment he quoted it. Far from being a lament, Jesus’ recitation of the verse was an invitation to dig deeper—to look past what, at first, seemed depressing and discouraging, to see purpose and meaning, even victory and the glorification of God.

I will admit here that shifting your understanding is a far more difficult process than just letting go of some new putative truth. Shifting your understanding requires you to search beyond your present awareness of what is good to find something that is better, and you probably won't know what that is. Consequently, shifting your understanding will require you to let go of what you presently believe to be good, to make space for the belief in, the desire for, and the appropriate response to something better, and that can feel extremely uncomfortable in a number of ways.

However, I will also say that finding something better never disappoints! Finding something better always results in knowing Christ to a greater degree. Never rob yourself of an opportunity to look past what you presently see as bitter to consider, and maybe even discover, something better. And, very importantly, never be like those at Jesus' crucifixion who found satisfaction in what they considered to be his lesser circumstances.

22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

23 Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.

24 For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard. (Psalm 22)

Bitter & Sweet

14 And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.

15 And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. (2 Nephi 2)

Boy, have I been sitting on this post for a while!! It’s good to be writing again. :)

Quite a few years ago, as I was studying 2 Nephi 2, the Lord impressed upon me several things as I read these verses. One was the fact that the Lord went to great lengths “…to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man.” And what are those purposes? Let’s hop over to Moses 1:39, shall we?

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39)

What do you suppose God’s “work” and “glory” look like? What does it take to bring “immortality” and “eternal life” to pass?

It turns out that it takes all of creation (and then some, actually.)

Now, let’s zoom in on the last part of verse 15:

…it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. (2 Nephi 2)

As I finished reading this verse, and with the two types of fruit immediately on my mind, the Lord prevented me from moving on by asking me, “Which one is which? Which one is sweet, and which one is bitter?”

I foolishly thought it might be an easy question to answer by just noticing the respective nature of the types of fruit and their descriptions. I thought that the forbidden fruit was mentioned first, as was the quality of being sweet, so those must go together, and both the tree of life and the quality of being bitter were mentioned second, so they must go together, too.

That answer to the Lord’s question crumbled away in my mind before it was even a complete thought. As my thoughts rolled through the relationship between the tree of life and bitterness, I realized that I could not recall one instance in the scriptures where the fruit of the tree of life was ever described as bitter.

“Ok,” I thought, “then they just need to be switched around, right? The fruit of the tree of life is sweet, and the forbidden fruit is bitter.”

Again, I knew that answer was wrong, too, because we are told that Eve thought the forbidden fruit was sweet.

Stumped, I did what you can only reasonably do when the Lord stumps you and asked Him to teach me.

He drew my attention to the fact that people have differing opinions about what tastes good and why. Our senses of taste are unique and individual, and we may prefer to eat certain things over others, but it’s silly to think that anything we like must necessarily be good for us. Most children have to be taught that sweets are actually terrible for you and that healthy foods, while they may not be sweet, have nutrition that is far more valuable than any fleeting sweetness they sense on the tongue.

We are like that. God knows what is actually good for us, and we don’t. In fact, we are so unaligned with God’s perspective on things that it takes an entire world to straighten us out. Even with all of the effort He puts into persuading us to improve our beliefs and desires (which you will never be able to comprehend unless you are like Him), it is all for naught if we don’t choose to believe Him once he clearly shows us what is truly sweet and what is truly bitter.