Forsaking Applause

Reading:   Lectures on Faith: Lecture Sixth


The lectures on Faith were classes of instruction given "... On the Doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, originally delivered before a Class of the Elders, in Kirtland, Ohio."

This lecture is a quintessential focus on the trials and tribulations of Job - the willingness to literally lay down all.   What does it take for a person to willingly lay down all and do nothing to stop the destruction, complete and total, of ones whole existence and mortal being?

LECTURE SIXTH (5)


5. For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his honor, and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands, his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own life also - counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ - requires more than mere belief or supposition that he is doing the will of God; but actual knowledge, realizing that, when those sufferings are ended, he will enter into eternal rest, and be a partaker of the glory of God.

First I want to pose a question on the interesting addition of "applause" as part of a man's all. Laying down ones character includes reputation, honor, good name, and applause...wow.  Why applause?  I think it is an ingenious addition for the obvious pride reasons but it still took me by surprise when I first read it.  To forsake applause means all efforts to pursue excellence, assist others, anything that might put you on the radar in another persons life, must be halted.  Hard to swallow isn't it?  To perform unselfish acts of assistance, proving the pure love of Christ by submission to charitable pursuits would still garner applause by those assisted - so how does that figure exactly?  We will get back to this...

In order to lay down all it is suggested that man would have to have "...more than mere belief or supposition that he is doing the will of God; but actual knowledge..."  I think we are talking about a lifting of the veil here, a glimpse of eternity beyond the mortal minute.  To gain or have a knowledge as described, knowing that you "...will enter into eternal rest, and be a partaker of the glory of God."  Means that you understand the brevity of mortality in the grand scheme and that no matter how you complete this probationary step, trampled under foot by man, a beggar in the muck, a castaway, a prisoner, no matter what, the suffering will end and the glory of eternity awaits.

With that in mind; having a glimpse, knowing what awaits, it stands to reason that laying down applause is complete in the idea that every act performed is done so for the glory of God only...charitable acts, any unselfish assistance given is done so in the name of the Almighty.  Any applause is for Him you are a mere vessel of action for Him and neither want or wish for any regard from your fellow man - humility extreme with the knowledge of what awaits.  That is how we lay down applause!

How then do we gain that glimpse beyond the veil - a glimpse that Job surely had - we exercise our faith in every aspect of our lives!

~Kipling