What's the Value in Knowing?

I've been thinking a lot lately about a concept in reality called Sacrifice. It seems that anything worth having requires some form of sacrifice. The ancient Israelites, and even before, lived a law of sacrifices. In a way, sacrifice is evidence of value. For anything we obtain that is of worth requires us to "pay a price" for it.

When Christ was upon the earth he gave many parables likening the Kingdom of God to a treasure, or a pearl of great price, or something of great worth. In those cases those who sought to possess it, had to sacrifice other things they possessed to keep it.

And of course who can forget this one from Matthew Chapter 6?

19 ¶ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Perhaps the most stirring example of this sacrifice is a passage that always brings me to tears in the Book of Mormon. It is found in Alma Chapter 24. I could probably discuss a dozen different things about this chapter, but what strikes me lately is the willingness to sacrifice for what they valued most--not their lives, and not even the lives of their brethren, but what they valued most was a knowledge that they were forgiven of their sins. They valued their testimony.

When I consider of what value is my testimony, I do find myself humbled by the unapproachable faith of the Lamanites who believed the teachings of Ammon, Aaron, Omner and Himni--and other Nephites.

I love King Anti-Nephi-Lehi's explanation in verse 14:

14 And the great God has had mercy on us, and made these things known unto us that we might not perish; yea, and he has made these things known unto us beforehand, because he loveth our souls as well as he loveth our children; therefore, in his mercy he doth visit us by his angels, that the plan of salvation might be made known unto us as well as unto future generations.

I love how it is clear here what they value more than any other thing. They value knowing. They were so long in the dark, and that understanding was worth more to them than their own lives. They had real testimonies--and it was real to them--so much so that they would praise God in the very moment they were being cut down in brutal succession. So the AntiNephiLehites chose death at the hands of a heartless army that mistrusted them and hated them and wished revenge against a people they were taught to hate--probably for the same darkness and hatred that the AntiNephiLehites had lived in before they were blessed to experience "the marvelous light of God."

To them the very risk of committing sin did fill their hearts with such loathing that they would sacrifice their lives.

So naturally I ask myself, How can I develop that kind of faith? How can I live my life now that I know?

In order to answer that question, I suppose I must ask what sort of things brought me into darkness. Contention? Immorality? Idleness? Pride? And in what ways do I bury the emblems of what brought me first to sin? How do I avoid them now that I know that they are not the way to happiness--now that I understand the steep price they have on others?

People may think I'm odd because I won't do what others do, but only my God and I know what my weaknesses are, and I want to have the faith that says that I value the things of God more than the things of men. I want to be a faithful lamanite. I want to bury my weapons deep in the earth, and never dig them up again. For my treasure is not buried, but burns bright in my heart, and I hope to never bury it again.

Therein is eternal Value.

--Ray