Easter Reflections

It seems as though many conversations with adults can be categorized by the following theme: “Who is the greatest?” For example, in a conversation today about the greatest prophets, mention was made of Abraham. Luke recorded one occasion when the Lord taught that, “Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (Luke 7:28)

All this talk of greatness reminded me of an ESPN documentary on the top 100 tennis players of all time, a list that included Rod Laver, Mats Wilander, Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Rafael Nadal and Pete Sampras. Novak Djokovic is another. My personal favorites have been Andre Agassi and Roger Federer – Agassi for his heart, perseverance, and determination, and Federer for his seemingly effortless style, God-given talent, consistency, and class. Federer would have my vote as the greatest tennis player of all time. He was simply born to play tennis.

You may ask, what does this have to do with Easter? My thoughts turned from prophets and tennis to Jehovah, the great I AM, who taught Abraham face to face:

And the Lord said unto me: These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all. (Abraham 3:19)

During his mortal ministry, the Savior taught his disciples another lesson on greatness:

At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the ^agreatest in the kingdom of heaven?

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little ^achildren, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Whosoever therefore shall ^ahumble himself as this little ^bchild, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

And whoso shall receive one such little child in my ^aname receiveth me. (Matthew 18:1-5)

When I returned home from church today, I picked up my sweet little niece Lelia. As I held the precious child in my arms, and as she gazed around her in wonder, pointing to the sunlight, to her brothers and sisters, and laughing and smiling, I felt a great desire to become as a little child.

I am grateful for Jesus Christ, the greatest of all, who rose from the tomb, who ministered among the Nephites and blessed their little children. The Resurrected Lord later taught the Prophet Joseph Smith and a few of his close associates through revelation that:

He that is ^aordained of God and sent forth, the same is appointed to be the ^bgreatest, notwithstanding he is the ^cleast and the ^dservant of all. (D&C 50:26)

Like my cousin blessing his child in church today, I can imagine the Savior blessing us:

 ^aFear not, little ^bchildren, for you are mine, and I have ^covercome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath ^dgiven me; (D&C 50:40-41) Happy Easter, one and all.