Occasionally, if not often, we view the comandments of God as restrictions-rules placed upon us to keep us from having a “good time”. We may even view them as punishments, and resent them. Let me share a story with you that has changed my perspective on the matter:

“The boy was very young. It was his first experience with kite flying. His father helped him, and after several attempts the kite was in the air. The boy ran and let out more string, and soon the kite was flying high. The little boy was so excited; the kite was beautiful. Eventually there was no more string left to allow the kite to go higher. The boy said to his father, “Daddy, let’s cut the string and let the kite go; I want to see it go higher and higher.”

His father said, “Son, the kite won’t go higher if we cut the string.”

“Yes, it will,” responded the little boy. “The string is holding the kite down; I can feel it.” The father handed a pocketknife to his son. The boy cut the string. In a matter of seconds the kite was out of control. It darted here and there and finally landed in a broken heap. That was difficult for the boy to understand. He felt certain the string was holding the kite down.

The commandments and laws of God are like the kite string. They lead us and guide us upward. Obedience to these laws gives us peace, hope, and direction.” (Patricia Pinegar, “Peace, Hope and Direction”, Ensign Nov 1999, 67)

 Like a kite string. Without the commandments, we would falter and crash to the ground. They hold us up, they give us direction. We cannot fly any higher without the commandments!

Does God sometimes ask us to be obedient to commandments, and we don’t understand the reason? Yes! There are many instances in the scriptures….the following being just one of the many:

Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

    But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

    And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

    And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water.(Matt 3:15-18 )

 

John the Baptist did not understand why the Savior, a perfect man, needed to be baptized. But Chrsit did. He knew that the only way for us to return to our Father in Heaven was through the gate of baptism.

 

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5)

 

And so our Savior was baptized, to be obedient to the commandments of God, and to show us the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. He certainly did “fulfill all righteousness” by being baptized. Surely, He is our perfect example of obedience. Even during the sorrows and agonies of Gethsemane, He prayed to the Father saying, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matt 26:38-39).

                                 

As thou wilt. When given a commandment from God, may we each remember our Savior’s obedient example and strive every day to be more like Him.