The story has often been told of several men who are wise, but blind, trying to decipher what an elephant is merely by their experience with it.
The thing with truth is, it can't be completely comprehended by one experience alone. We're told in the scriptures that we will be given light "line upon line" until we can comprehend "all things." It is in that place of comprehending all things that we have "truth." Everything up until that point is just a piece of truth. It's value is in it's ability to lead one to more truth, however it is worthless by itself.
A less well known story is that of a man who sees the devil and how he treats the rest of mankind. The man having the vision sees another man (we'll call him Bob) walking along and finds a piece of truth on the ground. Bob stoops down to pick it up, and walks along his way. The man having the vision is baffled that the devil didn't do anything to Bob.
"Why didn't you stop him?" the man cried. "Isn't it bad for you if he has truth?" "No," the devil smoothly replies. "I'm going to let him keep that piece of truth, and let him believe that what he has is all there is."
If any of you have ever had an experience with truth, I encourage you to keep it! However, as you proceed with life, please hearken to those who claim to have had experiences with truth you haven't quite collected yet. There is great danger in saying, "A bible a bible, i have already got a bible, and need no more bible!" Or in modern terms, "A testimony, a testimony! I've already gotten a testimony and need no more testimony!" For those who say they have enough, it shall be taken from them, even that which they have. (Alma 12:9-11)
The thing with truth is, it can't be completely comprehended by one experience alone. We're told in the scriptures that we will be given light "line upon line" until we can comprehend "all things." It is in that place of comprehending all things that we have "truth." Everything up until that point is just a piece of truth. It's value is in it's ability to lead one to more truth, however it is worthless by itself.
A less well known story is that of a man who sees the devil and how he treats the rest of mankind. The man having the vision sees another man (we'll call him Bob) walking along and finds a piece of truth on the ground. Bob stoops down to pick it up, and walks along his way. The man having the vision is baffled that the devil didn't do anything to Bob.
"Why didn't you stop him?" the man cried. "Isn't it bad for you if he has truth?" "No," the devil smoothly replies. "I'm going to let him keep that piece of truth, and let him believe that what he has is all there is."
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| The devil is suave |
If any of you have ever had an experience with truth, I encourage you to keep it! However, as you proceed with life, please hearken to those who claim to have had experiences with truth you haven't quite collected yet. There is great danger in saying, "A bible a bible, i have already got a bible, and need no more bible!" Or in modern terms, "A testimony, a testimony! I've already gotten a testimony and need no more testimony!" For those who say they have enough, it shall be taken from them, even that which they have. (Alma 12:9-11)
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