In recent months I have been pondering about how our vision is affected by the change of heart that Christ works in us as we make and keep covenants with Him (Ezekiel 36:26, Alma 5:14). We see the connection between a new heart and a new view in the story of Enoch and the city of Zion. As Enoch and his city grew in righteousness, they began to see what and Who they could not see before. God came to walk with Enoch (Genesis 5:24) and dwell with His people in Zion (Moses 7:16). These people received the change of heart that Ezekiel described as being given “one heart” (Ezekiel 11:19-20), for “the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them” (Moses 7:18). Eventually they were taken up to heaven “and the Lord said unto Enoch: Behold mine abode forever” (Moses 7:21). They experienced a profound change of view.
The story of Samson underscores how our vision is affected by breaking the covenants we have made with God. Despite his acceptance of the Nazarite covenant whereby Samson separated himself unto the Lord (Numbers 6:2), Samson was not true to God. He used his great strength in pursuit of his own vain ambitions (Judges 14-16) and arrogantly flirted with danger until he was finally brought down by his enemies. They put out his eyes shortly before his tragic death. His experience corresponds to the loss of spiritual sight that occurs when we reject God’s covenants.
These stories demonstrate in a dramatic way the increase or decrease in our capacity for Spirit-enhanced vision, or discernment, that comes based on our response to covenants with the Lord. We invite the Holy Spirit to be our constant companion through keeping our baptismal covenant to always remember Jesus, be willing to take upon us His name and keep His commandments (D&C 20:77, 79). Then the Spirit enables us to see everything and everyone around us more as God sees them, “for the Spirit . . . speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly” (Jacob 4:13). We also receive the heart-changing power of Christ’s Atonement through the Spirit (Mosiah 3:19). Even greater blessings pour out of the Atonement and flow into our lives through the Spirit as we make and keep covenants with the Lord in His temples.
As I invite Jesus Christ to change my heart by keeping the covenants I have made with Him, I am experiencing the change in perspective as well. I find it easier to be humble as the Lord shows me my weakness (Ether 12:27) and because I see with greater clarity that opportunities and talents are gifts from Him (James 1:17, Moroni 10:3, 18). I perceive that in the past my thinking has sometimes been influenced by ideas that are not true, like the idea that worldly prominence equates with importance. This error is especially damaging to mothers, since much of our work is accomplished without worldly fanfare and yet it has great importance in God’s plan for His children. I am coming to see how my labors as a mother encompass much more than fulfilling my children’s physical needs. I recognize that God has assigned me the responsibility to introduce them to and nurture their capacity to feel His love, upon which love the entire gospel rests (Matthew 22:36-40).
Some time ago I was reading in Doctrine & Covenants 93 where Christ promises that “every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am” (D&C 93:1). While recognizing that God answers such prayers in His own time and way (D&C 88:68), I decided to be bold in exercising my faith and pray to have that promise fulfilled in my life. As I continued to ponder about it over a period of weeks, the inspiration came that of greater worth than a vision of His physical features would be to see, know and comprehend Christ’s love. This ability to really understand charity – both Christ’s love for us and what our love must be for Him and for our neighbors – is the highest expression of spiritual sight, and it enables us to fulfill the two great commandments (Matthew 22:36-40). It leads us to view each person as having the greatest worth because of their status as children of God with infinite potential through Christ’s grace (Moroni 10:32, 2 Nephi 25:23), regardless of their current accomplishments or rank. Eventually this vision or knowledge of Christ’s character will lead us to God’s greatest blessings, for “this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou has sent” (John 17:3).
As I grow in the knowledge of Christ’s character, I have greater spiritual sight to perceive my children as the Lord sees them. I have one daughter who is especially feisty, which is difficult for me to manage because my personality is so much like hers. The Lord has helped me perceive that she has a great capacity to be sensitive and responsive to the Spirit, but along with that gift comes the tendency to be very sensitive and loudly responsive to the provocations of her older brother and other adverse circumstances. Being able to recognize the blessing as well as the challenge of this aspect of her character helps me to be more patient with her. I am a better mother to all my children as the Spirit helps me see and remember that how they act now does not always reflect who they really are and what they really can become. I also see that the “small and simple things” I accomplish as a mother really will bring great things to pass (Alma 37:6).
Isaiah prophesied about a marvelous work and wonder where the wisdom of the wise shall perish and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and darkness (Isaiah 29:14-18). The result of this work will be apparent when Christ returns and “all shall know me, who remain . . . and shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and shall see eye to eye” (D&C 84:98). The prophet Mormon links spiritual sight with charity: “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ . . . that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (Moroni 7:48). The gift of spiritual sight is essential to enable us to serve the Lord now – as mothers or in any other capacity – and prepares us for that great day when our eyes shall see Him with joy in our hearts because we have already come to know Him.
