People are not perfect. Even seemingly perfect people or almost perfect people are not perfect. Far from it. I have yet to meet a perfect person. God, however, is perfect, and has perfect love for all of his children. He sent his only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ to give himself as a perfect sacrifice for the world. (John 3:16)
Occasionally we glimpse, even in imperfect people, traces of that perfection that is found only in God and in his Son Jesus Christ. While it would be easy to see the flaws and imperfections in others, particularly those who have preceded us, or those closest to us, or anyone for that matter, it is much wiser to seek for those things that inspire us to become better people, and to learn from them.
Three such people to learn from were C. Allen Huntington, George W. Grant and David P. Kimball. These men were willing to give their lives for the truth that they embraced. More than that, they demonstrated Christ-like love in the most adverse of circumstances.
Moroni, the last prophet of the Book of Mormon, wrote: "Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been." (Mormon 9:31)
The more we can see glimpses of perfection in others, the closer we are to perfection: "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face" (1 Cor. 13:12) The three brave men who crossed the icy river with precious cargo, C. Allen Huntington, George W. Grant and David P. Kimball, were not perfect, but in that moment they reflected the perfect love of God as was best manifested through the gift of his perfect Son, Jesus Christ.
Occasionally we glimpse, even in imperfect people, traces of that perfection that is found only in God and in his Son Jesus Christ. While it would be easy to see the flaws and imperfections in others, particularly those who have preceded us, or those closest to us, or anyone for that matter, it is much wiser to seek for those things that inspire us to become better people, and to learn from them.
Three such people to learn from were C. Allen Huntington, George W. Grant and David P. Kimball. These men were willing to give their lives for the truth that they embraced. More than that, they demonstrated Christ-like love in the most adverse of circumstances.
Moroni, the last prophet of the Book of Mormon, wrote: "Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been." (Mormon 9:31)
The more we can see glimpses of perfection in others, the closer we are to perfection: "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face" (1 Cor. 13:12) The three brave men who crossed the icy river with precious cargo, C. Allen Huntington, George W. Grant and David P. Kimball, were not perfect, but in that moment they reflected the perfect love of God as was best manifested through the gift of his perfect Son, Jesus Christ.
