Today we had stake conference. Two rows in front of us was a couple with a young toddler. He was darling and I waved and smiled and winked at him multiple times. Near the end of stake conference, he was getting pretty wiggly. He was standing on a folding chair and trying to climb to the next one, bob up and down, and move around on the folding chair. I watched as his mom held him fairly tightly...letting him safely move around on the chair, but limiting what he was able to do. She wouldn't let him head to chairs farther away or jump or climb on top of the chair, and she held on carefully as he stood up, sat down, put his head sideways, etc. At one point, I could tell he felt frustrated that she was restraining him and not allowing him to move as he wanted. He felt she was keeping him from the freedom he longed for. And I recognized a lesson there...I recognized myself and others. This mother was restraining him to keep him safe. She loved him and wanted to protect him from danger. But his toddler mind couldn't recognize the love and concern that was motivating her watchcare...he just felt his freedom was being limited. How often does our loving Heavenly Father give us a commandment or instruction with the intent of protecting us? (All the time!) And don't we sometimes pout and feel like He's being unfair and that his commands are limiting our freedom? We can't...with our immature mortal minds...always recognize the danger that our choices would put us in. If only this young boy and each of us could trust that our parent knows more than we do and has our best interest at heart! That what feels limiting and restraining actually often offers greater freedom in the long run. Oh, if only we had greater perspective!
LESSONS LEARNED:
Commandments and restraints are for our safety.
God loves us so He gives us laws to protect us and allow us to grow.
Obedience actually expands our freedom in the long run.
God's perspective is much greater than our perspective.
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