Temperance

Doctrine and Covenants many times recites the passage that the field is white ready to harvest, and this scripture passage is speaking of missionary work.  Let's apply this to ourselves and our life.  How is our life similar to a field being white and ready to harvest?  Also in that passage it states that we must serve with all our heart, mind, and strength.  Many times when we hear that we are to do something that includes all of our heart, mind, and strength we often think of overdoing something.  Giving a 110% as we often say.  This is not the case.  We are to do all things in moderation, taking in consideration the conditions that are in play.  There is also another scripture found in the Book of Mormon that says that we are to do all things in wisdom and order, not running faster than we have the strength to run, so to speak.  Another story found in the Bible is of King Saul, who as a young man is anointed to become the king.  In meeting with Samuel he is taught and "given a new heart" or I would suppose a new view on life.  This meeting with a prophet in the old testament was a life changing or confirming experience that solidified Saul's determination to serve others.  The example of temperance comes at the very end of chapter 10 in 1 Samuel.  After Saul is anointed to be king he returns home, but some of the people did not accept him and despised him being anointed but it says that Saul held his peace.  How often are we persecuted in regards to our decisions or actions?  How can we be like the young Saul who held his peace and did not allow outside influences to affect his life? 

In the New Testament, Paul writes to the Corinthians that mastery is temperance in all things.  Temperate in the thesaurus lists these words as a help: self-restrained, restrained, moderate, self-controlled, disciplined, abstemious, self-denying, austere, ascetic, tee-total, and abstinent.  It also states that opposite to temperate is extreme.  An example of how temperance is used and exhibited is in sports.

How does self-control have a role in sports?  Most, if not all, sports require some form of discipline and self-control to master a skill.  Wrestling, for example, I would have to train myself to know my own limits so that I would not exceed them and have an understanding when to exert or suppress my energy and strength at the appropriate time.  Also I learned how to have the self-control to know when and where certain things were appropriate.  There was a phrase that we had on our wrestling team and that was to "leave it on the mat".  In other words, don't let the emotions and fight leave the mat with you.  When the fight is over then it is over.  There is a time and a place for everything and that was a lesson that we had to learn and accept.  When we were on the mat then the appropriate emotions can be used to try and gain advantage.  Likewise, when we left the mat the emotions that were appropriate during the fight may not be appropriate outside of mat and should not be brought out.

How does self control and discipline help us in every day life?  Once we know ourselves, our emotions, our limits, and how we should react, then we will have a better hold of ourselves and have a knowledge of what our capabilities are.  When we have that knowledge then we can exercise self control and self discipline in our life, knowledge leads to temperance and then we can enjoy patience.  Control of ourselves allows us to have true patience and as the New Testament says that knowledge brings temperance then patience and then godliness.  What does Peter mean by "godliness"?  I believe that he was saying that it brings an assurance of our life being in balance.  Have you ever been impressed by someone who seems to have everything going right for them, or perhaps they just seem to have no worries in life.  I think that is what Peter meant by godliness.  Now of course they will have their own worries and problems in life but they have the tools and capabilities to handle those issues effectively.  Like our Father in Heaven, He has His life in order I'm sure.  Does He have concerns and worries in His life?  Yes I'm sure that He is concerned about His children and their well being.  However when we think of God do we think of Him being weighed down with the worries and concerns in His life?  No, we know that He is happy and full of joy.  This is the godliness that we must strive for, being happy and full of joy even though there are worries and concerns in life.

"It is therefore of critical importance that we become self disciplined enough to make early and decisive corrections to get back on the right track and not wait or hope that errors will somehow correct themselves...It is the early recognition of danger that will help you keep in the light of the gospel [right track in life]."

Again remember that there is a time and a place for everything in our lives.  When we are at work then our focus should be on work and when we leave work then work should stay at work don't bring it home or where ever with you.  When you are at home then your focus should be in the home.  Do not take work home with you and don't take your home with you to work.  Time and place.  There are times when we must prioritize situations and some may take precedence over another at different times, but we must learn that there is a time and a place for everything.