John 9: 1-3

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

And his disciples asked him, saying, 

Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

Jesus answered, 

Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: 

but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

There are so many things wrong with so many systems. Individual/ societal, mental/ environmental, manage-mental…. Impulsively, I might recklessly dismiss something that is meant to show me “the works of God”. I want the abundance of human deficiencies to remind me of the perfection of God, so that I am continually invited and enticed “to do good, and to love God, and to serve him”(Moro. 7: 13). I believe that I can reach the solution by observing the works of God, rather than by staring at dissected dysfunction (i.e. getting to the root of the problem).

May I transition from Thief/Robber/Wolf to Hireling and then to the Shepherd that the Lord has asked that I be!

Have I rid my heart of all desire to enter “not by the door” but climb up “some other way”(John 10: 1)? Have I eliminated my secret desires to scatter, steal from, or catch my fellowman (John 10: 10, 12)?

Preoccupation with the coming wolf and careful departure from sinners are characteristics of the hireling who “leaveth the sheep, and fleeth”(John 10: 12).

With Christ as my guide, I will enter “in by the door”(John 10: 2), calling his sheep “by name”, lead “them out”, go “before them”(John 10: 3-4) and bring them together into “one fold” under that One Shepherd (John 10: 16).

Each life touches mine for good

If I see Christ’s face, as I should

In my travels here below

In the face of friend and foe

May I give to those I know

As mercif’ly as Thou didst show

Not condemning, guilty tho’

“Go thy way” and “be made whole.”

May Thy guidance day by day

Remove me from my vengeful way

May my brothers treasured be

Ev’n as Thou dost treasure me.

I choose Thee, my Father, God

May Thy Son’s blood and gentle word

Make the world one family

One blood coming home to Thee.

Enlarge thy borders forever. (Moro. 10: 31)

His heart swelled wide as eternity. (Moses 7: 41)

Who is at the border of my heart? Expand my borders until my heart swells wide as eternity and encompasses all of God’s children! May I become more than an open door: a knocking presence, asking to be let in to bless lives! (Rev. 3: 20)

Hel. 7: 23

I will not show unto the wicked of my strength,

to one more than the other,

save it be unto those who repent of their sins,

and hearken unto my words.

Who are “the wicked”? This sermon is unlikely to have been successful if the recipients felt that the Lord was talking to them as an underclass called “the wicked”. They must have somehow identified with the moniker “the wicked”. In order to gain strength from this sermon, so will I.

John 4: 13-15

 Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst;

but the water that I shall give him shall be in him

a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

The woman saith unto him,

Sir, give me this water,

that I thirst not,

neither come hither to draw.

“I’m so tired of working day after day just to stay alive. I’m tired of wandering, living from day to day, scrambling and scraping….”

“It’s not enough to have a hard life: you have to let that hard life lead you to me. Then you will drink, and be filled.”

“Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.”(John 6: 68)

D&C 58: 48

 Let them build up churches,

inasmuch as the inhabitants of the earth will repent.

Our work is making room for changing souls, welcoming them into a place where continued repentance is the only acceptable social requirement. 

“Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not” to support changing souls (Isa. 54: 2). 

Placing emphasis on humankind's change-ability and change-necessity and God's unchanging goodness gently guides us all to infinite improvement in God's mercy.

I know that I am doing something that the Lord wants me to do when I leave the house each morning. I can leave home “sent forth by the Holy Ghost”(Acts 13: 4) by remembering His will, believing that He will enable me to do it, and listening for daily instructions.

Mark 4: 39-40 

And he arose, and rebuked the wind,

and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.

And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

  40 And he said unto them,

Why are ye so fearful?

The Lord might have admired their faith if they too had fallen asleep, content to let the waves rock them as a cradle. “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14: 27)