“Avoiding Lighthouses and Searching for Light,” For the Strength of Youth, June 2022.
Avoiding Lighthouses and Searching for Light
We can avoid negative spiritual consequences and regrets by serving the Lord, turning our hearts toward Him, and learning to love and to trust Him.
Photo illustration from Getty Images
I heard a funny story about a captain of an aircraft carrier who is trying to navigate his ship during a storm at night. He sees a light in the distance that appears to be heading straight toward him. He shouts to his radio operator, “Tell that oncoming vessel to change course by 20 degrees!”
The radio operator does and waits for a response. “Captain,” he says, “they are telling us to change our course 20 degrees.”
The captain shouts, “Explain to that radio operator that I’m not asking—I’m demanding. Change course!”
The radio operator sends the message, waits for a moment, and then looks up. “Captain,” he says, “they insist that we are the ones who must turn.”
The captain grabs the headset and barks into the microphone, “I don’t know who you are or where you are going but there’s something you ought to know. I’m the captain of a navy aircraft carrier group accompanied by three destroyers, three cruisers, and numerous support vessels. We are proceeding directly towards you and will not change course!”
Through the static the captain hears a reply: “Understood, Captain. But there’s something you ought to know. We are a lighthouse.”
The Greater Truth
While this story is undoubtedly fiction, it is instructive. The captain of the ship, with the information at his command, felt completely justified. He was certain that the facts known to him gave him the right of way.
But he did not realize the greater truth yet. Once he embraced the bigger picture, the “unreasonable testimony” of the lighthouse operator made complete sense.
Once he knew the greater truth, it changed everything.
Of course, the captain could have ignored the warning and maintained his course, convinced he was right. But doing so would have had serious consequences, inflicting great damage and experiencing massive regret.
Do we ever do the same?
Sadly, when it comes to believing and heeding the words of the prophets, the world in general does not have the finest record. The scriptures are filled with examples where individuals and nations ignored or belittled the words of the prophets.
Sadly, they rejected the counsel of God and pursued their own course. With the information they accepted, they felt justified and perhaps even superior. But, like the captain of the carrier, they were missing important and essential information and truth.
One thing we can be certain of: God knows it all. He sees what we cannot see. He knows the greater truth—past, present, and future. And the words He gives to His prophets encompass that greater truth.
Samuel and the Philistines
The prophet Samuel lived some three thousand years ago during a time when the children of Israel departed from following God’s ways. Maybe the people of that time thought the prophet was speaking only for himself or that he was being influenced by out-of-style tradition, that he was just too old. Whatever their motive, they refused to listen to the prophet, and they set aside the counsel and commandments of God.
It was during this time a powerful enemy known as the Philistines arose against Israel and defeated them in battle. They even captured the sacred ark of the covenant—the first time that had happened. It was a national shame.
“Why would God permit the ark to be captured?” they must have asked themselves.
Some wondered if God had abandoned them.
Things kept getting worse. The conflict with the Philistines escalated, causing great sorrow among the people of Israel. Families lost their homes and suffered hardship, and many of their dear ones were killed. Eventually, the desperate and despairing survivors humbled themselves and prayed mightily to God, yearning for relief and deliverance.1
In their sorrow and desperation, they approached the prophet Samuel and asked what they could do to better follow God and His ways.
Listen to what Samuel told them: “If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and [sinful behavior]2 from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”3
The children of Israel listened to what Samuel said and did it. They fasted, repented of their spiritual rebellion, and “served the Lord only.”4 When the Philistines came against them, the Lord miraculously fought their battle, and the Philistines fell before Israel.5
Making the Same Mistake
Before we judge ancient Israel too harshly, it might be well to ask if we, ourselves, have been blameless when it comes to following the counsel of the prophets.
Have we personally set aside the teachings of the prophets? Have we rejected what they have said? Have we decided we know better?
The Book of Mormon frequently reminds us of the consequences of yielding to our carnal nature at the expense of following our Savior. When we do so, our actions inevitably lead to despair, bondage, suffering, and regret.
God has given us the precious gift of being free to choose how we think and how we act. We can reject the words of God or His prophets. We might even think our way is better. This might seem pleasant to us—at least in the beginning. It might even feel good for a time. But we never can escape the consequences of our decisions.
We can avoid negative spiritual consequences and regrets by serving the Lord, turning our hearts toward Him, and learning to love and to trust Him.
As we do so, we will discover the true joy promised in the scriptures to all who believe and follow the Savior.6
We will find peace, hope, safety, and light.