My Gifts To Jesus

It’s Not My Fault … !

Serial Rapist: “She never locked her door!”
Compulsive Shoplifter: “I have A.D.D.!”
Wife Batterer: “Dinner wasn’t ready!”
Suicidal Male: “She said she didn’t love me anymore!”

After 30 years of working in the mental health field, I’ve heard plenty of excuses for stupid behavior.

Accountability To Self

Believing that another person can “make you feel a certain way or do a certain behavior” is fundamentally false and is a symptom of a much deeper and more serious problem in YOU!

You and I are responsible for our behavior.  President Brigham Young illustrates personal responsibility when he says:

“If Brother Brigham shall take a wrong track, and be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven, no person will be to blame but Brother Brigham. I am the only being in heaven, earth, or hell, that can be blamed.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. John A. Widtsoe, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1941], pg. 390.)

Lasting behavior change rarely occurs as a result of someone else’s efforts.  Behavior change is more permanent when one perceives a personal accountability to the Savior.

Permanent behavior change requires a focus on the Savior.

Accountability To God

In the following scriptures there is an emphasis placed on the individual’s behavior being between God and the individual, not just between the individual and someone or something else.

In Acts the story is told of Ananias. He and his wife sold a possession and hid some of the money, not giving it to the church. The sin would appear to be only between Ananias and the church. However, Peter confronted them saying: “thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.” (Acts 5:4)

For days Joseph resisted the advances of Potiphar’s wife (Genesis 39).  Nevertheless, he is falsely accused, and cast into prison.  In verse 9 we discover the source of his strength to resist when he said, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9)  Joseph wasn’t worried about offending Potiphar or Portiphar’s wife, but God.

God And I

By a careful examination we must conclude that we are individually responsible to our Creator. The earth is God’s, and man was put on it by Him.  Earth and everything on it, are not man’s possession.  Man’s body and spirit were given him by God.  You and I owe all to Him that created us.  We are first responsible to God for our thoughts, words, and deeds (Mosiah 4:30)!

We have lost sight of the object of our creation, and our future destiny when we lose sight of the importance of our personal relationship with Jesus.

Most important

“Now, the most important principle I can share: Anchor your life in Jesus Christ, your Redeemer. Make your Eternal Father and his Beloved Son the most important priority in your life—more important than life itself, more important than a beloved companion or children or anyone on earth. Make their will (Eternal Father and his Beloved Son) your central desire. Then all that you need for happiness will come to you,”  (Richard G. Scott, “The Power of Correct Principles,” Ensign, May 1993).

There is no other “most important principle.”

Imagine Yourself

“IMAGINE Yourself” is a psychological technique we use to change a perspective and encourage insight.  Imagine- standing before Christ at judgment.  (See Alma 5: 16-18) giving an account for your thoughts, words, and deeds.)

Christ is the judge

“The keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate.” (2 Nephi 9:41)

I Will Be Judged

It is requisite with the justice that I should be judged according to my own works.  (See Alma 41:3-4)  I will not be judged by the works of a spouse, parents, friends, neighbors, or any other.

We are responsible for our own actions and accountable to Christ for what we choose to do with our lives.

Life is Christ’s gift to us!

 What we do with his gift is our gift to Him.

Gospel Principle:

Improving behavior permanently requires making Eternal Father and his Beloved Son the most important priority in our life.  My “thoughts, words, and deeds” are my gifts to Jesus.

Additional Information:

YouTube video. Christmas Spirit From: Mormon Messages (3.57).

A young girl with true Christmas spirit quietly teaches her preoccupied family the true meaning of Christmas. President Thomas S. Monson, Prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ, shares his testimony of how to put Christ back into Christmas

Personal Accountability by Dean L. Larsen given at Brigham Young University on 6 March 1983.