Are You Ready to Leap?

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One of my favorite movie franchises of all time is the Indiana Jones series (except for the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull which I have not seen and never intend to see). Among other things, they actually dealt with themes of principle and virtue, albeit centered around action, and that is why I enjoy them so much. In that franchise, my favorite scene, and one I have referenced off and on for over a decade, is the one in which Indiana must leap from the lion's head. He must make a leap of faith to reach the grail and save his father. I love that.

While serving as a missionary in Austria, the Innsbruck Zone made that our theme. This Sunday afternoon, while reminiscing a bit and perusing some of my memorabilia from that time, I came across the following picture Elder Lucas Howes made and asked myself the question again: "Are You Ready to Leap?"

Only in the leap from the lion's head do we prove our worth.

I spoke today with the office secretary at one of our satellite campuses (campii?) about some of my projects, ideas, and activities. In response, she told me that I'm the only person she knows who is always living as he believes. I told her that I do that because my treasure is not of this world. There is nothing I can imagine in this world that I really value that the world can give me. Sure, I desire a good wife, a dear mate, a help meet, and the children that might come from such a union. I do not have those, and they are not mine to get in any way I would choose according to my morals to acquire them, and so I am free to follow the prompts of my heart. The world cannot give me love or posterity. That relies on the agency of another person, and until such time as I meet someone who is willing and able to start one with me, I concern myself with your families instead.

As I have previously written, I realize this is not about me. It's more than my job, my house, and what I would like to do with my life. I belong to a family, live in a neighborhood, work in a community, and believe in a nation. Beyond all that, I serve a God who has promised that those who lose their lives for His sake shall find them, and so I go about trying to lose the life He gave me doing the things I feel He would have me do and becoming the man I believe He would have me become.

In a few weeks, I will make a decision that will radically change my life. It might be a good thing, and it might be good only far in the future after I pass through a period of trial it will invite. However, I have learned from my parents, from study and from recent personal experience that God loves me and will not allow anything to happen to me that is not somehow calculated for my eternal benefit. I am not living for this world, and so I am willing to rely on the powers and mercy of another one.

Like Indiana, I stand on a ledge where I am asked to take a leap of faith. Every one of you, like him and me will eventually be called upon to do the same if you haven't already. As you look toward that time, ask yourself if you are ready to leap. Will you do what is necessary? Will you do what God asks? What price are you willing to pay to receive the reward you claim you desire above all others? Indiana just had to take a step, but many people have to take thousands of steps, crossing the plains in covered wagons, wandering the Sinai, or living by the Brook Kidron while being fed by birds. I think many of us fear to leap because, although we may be willing to die for our beliefs, we are not really ready to live for them. The pain of death is sudden. The pain of living your beliefs requires you to prove every minute of every hour of every day that you mean what you say. It can be hard to endure to the end.

While my detractors speak of how they know I will fail, I try not to concern myself too much with that. If as a consequence of acting on the promptings of God's Spirit I lose my job, my house, my social standing in the community, or even my life, I trust that God will allow it to be taken because He intends to give me something better. My parents taught me to trust in God and feel as safe in my bed as I am on any podium, in any interview, or on any battlefield. The time, manner, and place of my death are already known, and so rather than concern myself with that, I endeavor to always be ready, to always be true, so that when that time overtakes me I will fell confident before God that I am what I am, and that what I do comes from what I have become. This makes me brave and gives me the courage and faith to leap.

When the time comes for you to make that leap of faith, will you be ready? I challenge you to begin today to change into what you would like to be. Every one of us writes his own autobiography day by day, decision by decision, until our story reflects our values and our decisions. I testify that as you endeavor to be what you were born to be, that you will feel the comfort and presence of our Heavenly Father as well as His voice whispering, "This is the way. Walk ye in it." and be ready when He calls to leap.