Their nearness makes a difference

by

Wayne E. Brickey

To a particular family one evening, word came of a foul event, an insulting deed against one of the family members.  Jason, an older brother, was inflamed at the news.  In rage he stormed to the door, vowing to take revenge.  The family had just been shocked in one way, and now Jason was shocking them in another.  But then came another surprise.  Mild mannered Andrew, a four year old, ran to the door and blocked Jason’s path.

“Out of my way,” yelled Jason. “No,” Andrew answered with nostrils flaring, “not till we pray.”  When Jason tried to move Andrew to the side and swing the door open, Andrew dove through Jason’s reach and wrapped his little arms around one of Jason’s knees, clamping his teeth on the pant leg.  Jason dragged his leg and his little brother out into the front yard but finally stopped.  Anger was suspended by a special kind of courage, the moral courage of love.  Soon, with the smallest family member still attached to the biggest, the whole family was at Jason’s side.  They all reentered the house, where they would council together about their new challenge.

Courage can, and usually does, transfer from one person to another.  Bravery spreads between soldiers on fields of mortal danger.  It spreads in workplaces and on teams.  Firmness rubs off of heroes we haven’t even met.  Many a bedridden patient, awaiting the next step in some medical ordeal, has found new resolve in the mere presence of a loving visitor.  Likewise, we may be transformed by beings we do not know and cannot see.  As the Lord predicted, they will be “round about you, to bear you up”.   Their nearness makes a difference.  With power they bear us up, stimulation us to Action. Perhaps little Andrew was so decisive because of love and firmness pouring into him through the veil.

As the love of a small boy gave moral courage to a big boy, our unseen friends bear us up by their pure love.  As John the Beloved said, “Perfect love casteth out fear”, or as Mormon said, “all fear”.

Along with purer love, those beings have gone on to mightier faith.  Just as we mortals strengthen each other by bearing testimony, they can instill faith in our hearts.  Like love, faith dispels fear.

If we try to follow Jesus praying without fail, tithing without fail, fulfilling our callings without fail we have the nearness of Him who is firm without fail.  Then we can face anything.

He and the courageous host of heaven, by their nearness, move us to Action.