I came across something interesting during personal scripture study tonight. (I’m sure many of you are getting tired of that phrase).

We read the following in Isa. 10:1–2.

Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed; to turn aside the needy from judgement, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!

While this passage does seem directed at those in political power, I can’t help but think there is some warning in there for us as well should we decide to prey about the widows and fatherless.

Now compare this with James 1:27.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

These two passages together make it clear God’s position on the poor, widowed, and fatherless. Even more so, it makes it clear how anyone who professes to be Christian should be treating such.

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If you are in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for any significant amount of time, you will likely come across the phrase “broken heart and contrite spirit”. The scripture most commonly used regarding this phrase is 3 Ne 9:20:

Ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit

But what does “a broken heart’ mean?

The popular usage of the phrase is summed up on Wikipedia: a common metaphor used to describe the intense emotional pain or suffering one feels after losing a loved one. I am leery of the idea that this is what Jesus meant, that we wouldn’t be baptised by fire unless we lose a loved one.

So what does it mean then? Consider these two facets of farming.

“Breaking a horse” is common phrase. Wild horses do not let persons ride themselves. They need to be trained to accept riders. Thus a broken horse accepts its master.

“Breaking the ground” is another phrase referring to the entire practise of tilling, ploughing, and harrowing. Basically, it’s what a farmer does to prepare the soil for planting. Thus broken ground accepts planted seeds.

I wonder then if using these two examples, we can define a broken heart as a heart that accepts its master (as in Jesus) and the gospel seed (see Alma 32).

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When I was putting in a load of laundry this weekend, I couldn’t find the laundry detergent. I was right up against the washer, and couldn’t see the detergent anywhere.

Instinctively, I backed up a few steps, looked around again, and finally noticed it hiding behind the laundry basket.

I pondered that for a while, realizing how in life we can benefit from viewing the larger picture. Consider these two scriptures.

“Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.” (Mosiah 4:9)

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9)

Here we see two scriptures indicating God sees things in a larger picture than we do. Does that mean only God sees the bigger picture? Not necessarily. I believe we can all see the bigger picture.

Even if we can’t see the bigger picture, however, I think there is value in acting as if there is a bigger picture. When we lose a job, for example, it may be easy for us to mope around, asking why this happened to us when we were living right. On the other hand, we could use it as an opportunity for a better job or start a business, things we may not have done had we stayed in the job.

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