Chapter 18: Stay on the Lord's Side of the Line

Sister Knies gave a great lesson from the teachings of George Albert Smith.  

"George Albert Smith's grandfather George A. Smith served for many years in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and in the First Presidency as a counselor to Brigham Young.  George Albert Smith often repeated the counsel his grandfather used to give to his family:  "There is a line of demarcation well defined between the Lord's territory and the Devil's territory.  If you will stay on the Lord's side of the line you will be under his influence and will have no desire to do wrong; but if you cross to the devil's side of that line one inch you are in the tempter's power and if he is successful, you will not be able to think or even reason properly because you will have lost the Spirit of the Lord."  

"George Albert Smith said that he used this counsel throughout his life to guide his choices:  "When I have been tempted sometimes to do a certain thing, I have asked myself, "Which side of the line am I on?"  If I determined to be on the safe side, the Lord's side, I would do the right thing every time.  So when temptation comes think prayerfully about your problem and the influence of the  Lord will aid you to decide wisely.  There is safety for us only on the Lord's side of the line."  

How do you know if you are on the Lord's side of the line?

Some answers shared:  you feel the spirit strongly in your life constantly.  Everything good comes of God.  You are happier.

What are some of the things you do on a daily basis to keep yourself on the Lord's side?  Answers shared:  exercise, prayer, scriptures, temple attendance, being kind to each other and your family, knowing who we are, know you are a daughter of God, pictures in your home of the Savior and scripture quotes.

Sister Knies shared an experience she had when her children were young.  She spent many years with her husband in various callings leaving her to get their young children to church on her own.  She usually woke the kids with just enough time to get up and get out the door.  As we all know this can take a downward spiral fast.  She received some advice from a friend suggesting that she play church music through the home as they were getting ready.  It made a noticeable difference and years later one of her daughters commented on what a good atmosphere it had brought into their home.  Sometimes we don't realize as parents the things we do and what an influence it can be for our kids.  

Are the really two sides of the line?

D&C 1:31:  "I cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance."

Why?  Some answers shared; If God didn't adhere to His various principles he would cease to be God.  The world tends to see things as grey.  In the church and our Heavenly Father, there is no grey.  We don't have an excuse.  We have the atonement.  Any degree of sin leads to greater degrees of sin.  The Lord has so much love for us and he wants us to succeed.  He wants us to return to Him.  When we do cross the line we lose blessings that we wouldn't have lost had we stayed on the right side of the line.  

The manual says, "Every once in a while we hear somebody say, "Oh, I wouldn't be so particular.  The Lord is not going to be very sever with us if we just go part way."  The Lord in his kindness, seeing the attitude of His children, and knowing that they would need guidance, gave to us the Ten Commandments, and other commandments that have been given from time to time, to help us to find happiness.  You observe people running to and fro in the world, seeking happiness but not finding it.  If they would only pause long enough to accept the Lord's advice happiness would follow, but they will find it in no other way".  

President Smith told a story..."When I was a child I recognized, or thought I did, that the commandments of the Lord were His laws and regulations for my guidance.  I though I recognized in the disobedience to those laws that punishment would follow, and as a child I presume I may have felt that the Lord had so arranged affairs and so ordained matters in this life that I must obey certain laws or swift retribution would follow.  But as I grew older I have learned the lesson from another viewpoint, and now to me the laws of the Lord, so-called, the counsels contained in the Holy Scriptures, the revelations of the Lord to us in this day and age of the world, are but the sweet music of the voice of our Father in heaven in His mercy to us."  

Sister Knies showed us a picture of two hands being held, one much older than the other.  With it was a quote, "You spend years wishing your parents woudl get off your back.  Later you realize that your parents were the only ones who had your back."  The same is with the Lord.  He is the only one who really has our backs.  

The manual goes on to say, "If we will follow the advice and counsel that the Lord has given, our pathway will be one of happiness.  It will be a pathway, perhaps not of ease and comfort always, but in the end it will terminate in the presence of our Heavenly Father, and glory, immortality and eternal lives will be our portion."

What do you say when you here people say the gospel is too restrictive?  Some responses were:  fences or guardrails?  We have rules in our house to keep our children safe.  Everything he has given us is because he wants the best for us.  We know through these rules exactly where we stand.  It gives us more freedom in the end without struggling whether it is right or wrong.  It is protective gear like you wear in sports.  As you learn to live the gospel you see the benefits and happiness that comes from living.  We've all seen someone that has chosen not to stay on the right side.  We can see the hurt and pain that comes from it.

Sister Knies used the analogy of a child in a toy store.  When we take our children and say they can buy any toy they want.  They are overwhelmed and can't decide.  If we limit it to one shelf  and give parameters things get much easier and more manageable.  When we look at what we gain from having the word of wisdom or moral cleanliness, the rewards seem boundless.  

President Smith relayed "A man once said to me--or remarked in a pace where I happened to be--Why, these people here seem to think I am full of the devil, but I am not."  And I said to him, "my brother, did you ever know anybody that was full of the devil and knew it?'  That is one of the tricks of the devil; to get possession of you and keep you from knowing it.  And that is one of our difficulties."  

Sister Knies remarked that Satan is clever.  He doesn't give us the whole picture.  Kind of like how we do with chocolate.  We tell ourselves a little piece at a time....

How do we teach our children to stay on the right side of the line?

Answers shared:  The more their lives are involved in the gospel, to have good friends, to relate gospel topics everyday.  Important to help our children find and understand their own desire.  We can only guide them so far.  They can borrow our testimonies up to a point.  They need to develop their own.  You need to be able to have the courage to say no to our children.  Develop within them their own ability to thing things through.  Utilize the Strength of Youth.  Already know how to answer your children when they come to you.  

Sister Knies ended the lesson by teaching that one of the most important things we can teach our children is how to recognize the spirit.  Understand early who to listen to and then listen.  Understand early who to follow and then follow.  Know who you are and who you've always been.  We can take personal inventory of our own lives.  If we've crossed the line there is personal repentance.