Efficiency makes sense. If we’re efficient, we get things accomplished, and have more time to do other things!
One day, however, it dawned on me that “efficiency” as I understand it may not be “efficient” in terms of how the Lord defines the term Since I am sure He would do things in the best way possible, I began to wonder what being efficient means to Heavenly Father, and to Jesus Christ.
Could it be that “my” view of being efficient is actually a philosophy of man? Could my view of “being efficient” actually lead me away from the Lord?
In my view, I’m try hard to be efficient. I think that is how I am supposed to be, to improve myself, and to become “more.” So I try to think of ways to do things better, and often get frustrated when I can’t seem to be as efficient as I would like to be. I’m the one who is multi-tasking, and who gets impatient if others aren’t as quick to respond as I would like.
Consider a few scriptural examples. Lehi was commanded by the Lord to take his family and leave Jerusalem, and to go out into the wilderness. Of course, Lehi immediately obeyed. However, it wasn’t too long until the Lord told Lehi to have his sons return to Jerusalem and get the brass plates. But again, Lehi told the sons, and they return to Jerusalem and obtained the plates.
Again, though, the Lord told Lehi to have his sons return to Jerusalem. This time they were instructed to talk to Ishmael, and request that he and his family accompany them back into the wilderness, to journey with Nephi. Yes, this happened.
Wait a minute, though. This wasn’t exactly “efficient.” Surely the Lord knew right from the start that Lehi’s family would be establishing a new civilization, and would need the brass plates. Surely He knew that they would need to have Ishmael’s family travel with them.
Why not combine trips?
As a mom, I’m always thinking about combining trips with my errands. For one thing, I don’t want to have to get my kids in and out of the car for a zillion trips to town. It’s much easier to just do everything in one day. It’s more efficient. I can get more done that way.
The Cambridge Dictionary says that efficient means: to work or operate in a way that gets the results you want without any waste.
Surely the Lord is efficient.
And surely, the Lord does not waste anything.
So - what is the definition of waste?
According to the dictionary again, waste, the verb, means this: to use or expend carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose. Synonyms include squander, fritter away, or throw away.
So apparently, the number of trips Lehi told his sons to make back to Jerusalem were purposeful. In addition to getting the plates and Ishmael’s family, what could the purpose be?
It’s interesting that the dictionary’s 8th definition of the word waste tells us that waste (of the human body) means that it becomes progressively weaker and more fragile and frail, gradually becoming emaciated.
Could it be that the Lord wanted Nephi, Sam, Laman, and Lemuel to become strong? Surely the trip through the wilderness would be physically hard, meaning that physically, they would gain strength. But there is also emotional strength to be gained by heeding the commandments of God, and figuring out how to obey.
The lessons of Zion’s Camp seem to show us this same pattern. Zion’s camp was a 900-mile journey led by Joseph Smith. The Saints traveled from Kirtland, Ohio to Clay County, Missouri.
Their purpose was to regain the land they had lost when the Saints had been expelled by the mobs in Missouri.
They did not achieve their purpose, nor their goal. Zions camp was disbanded.
Efficient? Hardly.
But wait. The dictionary said that being efficient means that you aim to get the results you want without any undue effort or waste.
Oh. It’s about results. Of course.
Many times what I want is simply to check off the box that says, “Done.”
Many times what I want is simply to check off the box that says, “Done.”
What I may need, though, is to realize that “done” may not be the goal. The goal may be growth. Maybe I need to develop a character trait. After all, patience is probably not going to be developed at the same time as I become “efficient.” Maybe I need to change how I view different experiences. Maybe I need to be more humble, and to ask God what He would have me do, and how fast He would have me run.
Elder David A. Bednar, an Apostle of the Lord, said this:
"As individuals and families, we too will be tested, sifted, and prepared as were the members of Zion’s Camp. The scriptures and the teaching of the Brethren are replete with promises that faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the making, honoring, and remembering of sacred covenants, and obedience to God’s commandments will strengthen us to prepare for, to face, to overcome, and to learn from the trials and tests of mortality."
So - when I get frustrated, and bemoan my lack of efficiency, maybe I would do well to ponder what the word “efficiency” means to the Lord. Efficiency may mean that the purpose of something may be to gain faith, or to build resilience or trust in the Lord. Efficiency may mean that I need to focus lesson “reaching the goal,” and focus on more on “who I am becoming” en route. Maybe I need to give up my pre-conceived expectations that tell me I have to get things “done,” and focus instead on “accomplishing what the Lord would have me accomplish.” Maybe it’s much more about the intent of my heart, and my desire to keep on the path that leads to Him, rather than efficiently trying to wish the path were shorter and less of a bother.
Maybe I can learn to be calm, and hence, more efficient in heart, regardless of how many times I have to backtrack, start over, pull myself up again, and regroup. Maybe that is being more “efficient” than I thought.
No comments:
Post a Comment