Emulate Jesus Christ -- Post 16: Safeguard Your Sandcastle.

by Judy Rix...

When life's storms challenge your very foundation, what anchors you? How do you safeguard your testimony of Jesus Christ against the inevitable trials and temptations that shake your faith? Just as you prepare an emergency plan for your home and family, it's essential to have one for your own soul.

My grandson shared this experience which expands this idea:

"During our family vacation in Hawaii, my two younger siblings built a sandcastle on the beach. Despite its being too close to the water, they persisted rebuilding their fortress as the waves kept rolling in and knocking down their impressive creation.

"Finally, they decided to shift their strategy to protecting their masterpiece rather than continuing trying to rebuild it. The children shoveled sand as fast as they could to build a retaining wall, yet the waves relentlessly continued their destruction.

"When family members saw their plight, they joined forces in the rescue plan. With a shared purpose, lots of laughs, and combined efforts, the whole family together successfully reinforced the wall and saved the sandcastle."

Similar Life Parallels Are Taught by Jesus Christ

Unlike a sandcastle that yields to the tide, your life is eternal. You craft your character with precision, grain by grain, piece by piece. You are the architect. You are the construction crew. You are the designer, protector, and defender of your choices. By emulating Jesus Christ -- His teachings and example -- you will build according to His perfect blueprint.

The scriptures offer a wealth of instructional blueprints. Here are just a few examples:

• BUILD YOUR CASTLE ON SOLID GROUND.

In Matthew 7:24-27 Christ instructs us to establish our lives on a firm foundation by following His principles. Obedience to His commandments in every aspect of your life will steer you clear of unnecessary risks from the outset. They are the very laws that will bring you happiness and keep you safely distanced from the things that can harm you.

• PROACTIVELY PREPARE AGAINST POTENTIAL THREATS, WHETHER SPIRITUAL, PHYSICAL, OR EMOTIONAL.

"When ye are prepared, ye shall not fear." (D&C 38:30). When you do your best to keep all of God's laws, follow the counsel of His chosen servants, repent daily, and allow God to prevail in your life, you have taken proactive steps to shield yourself against the threats of the adversary.

• UNITE FOR A COMMON PURPOSE.

Through unity, we can tackle challenges that would be impossible to handle solo. This principle holds true for families, companies, or even entire nations. By serving and caring for each other, we can more easily lift one another's burdens as well as our own. Teamwork produces a synergy where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In Matthew 18:20 we read, "Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them."

• NEVER GIVE UP!

Perseverance, resilience, and adaptability are essential as we face life's challenges, continually improving and fortifying our defenses. We are strengthened as we learn more about our great Exemplar through prayer and scripture study. When we purposely emulate Jesus, we are drawn nearer to Him and become more like Him. He never gives up on us, and we must never give up on Him.

Reinforce Your Walls of Protection.

The Book of Mormon, Alma 50:1 - 6, tells how Captain Moroni prepared for an impending invasion by building extensive walls and fortifications round about every city in all the land. He protected his warriors with armor, swords, and shields. Because of those impressive preparations, the enemy was unable to breach the defenses. 

You and I must strive to be faithfully vigilant in maintaining our defenses too. Satan is unrelenting in trying to discourage or distract us. Even though not one of us is perfect, we can strive to repent daily and grow to be more obedient and righteous one step at a time. Jesus Christ has invited us to take upon ourselves His name by being baptized. In so doing, we may receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost (the third member of the Godhead) to be our constant companion. What greater protection from evil could we ever possess?

As the trials of life seek to break down the walls of your own personal sandcastle, turn to the Savior for strength. He is called the Savior because He can save you -- not only from evil, but from your own doubts and weaknesses. Yoke yourself to Him, for "His yoke is easy and His burden is light." (Bible, Matthew 11:30.) Christ's divine assistance will provide strength, peace, and enabling power through His atonement.

Divine protection comes from staying true to gospel principles and diligently following the Savior's teachings. "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness. And if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness and love God with all your might, mind, and strength, then is His grace sufficient for you, that by His grace ye may be perfect in Christ. And if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God." (BOM, Moroni 10:32)

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Go to the Source -- What Do the Scriptures and Respected Teachers Say?

(Bible, Matthew 7:24-27) 

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house and it fell, and great was the fall of it.

"Safety for the Soul," Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

General Conference, October 2009

"Build a Fortress of Spirituality and Protection," Elder Ronald A. Rasband

General Conference, April 2019

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