As many of you know, a month and a half ago my older brother introduced me to racquetball, which quite possibly may be the greatest sport ever invented. Naturally I have become a bit of a racquetball evangelist; going forth and spreading the good news. It has not caught on as well with my friends as I hoped and I get to play once every other week, verses the day regiment I would prefer.
While, at separate times, lamenting this fact to my older brother and my father I discovered a couple of things.
My brother had not discovered the joys of racquetball in the past few years but nearly 12 years ago. My dad has played racquetball and enjoyed it but not nearly as much as my favorite uncle who plays all of the time and has for 20 years.
As I sat there thinking on this I was a bit frustrated. 12 years ago my brother and I were still living at home, I saw him daily and although we didn’t have the best relationship then with in 3 year period we had become best friends. I have seen him dozens and dozens of time since we both moved out, many of which I stayed with him at his house. In the last 20 years I have seem my favorite uncle countless times.
Why had no one told me? Why was I denied the joys of racquetball?
Now I do realize that racquetball is just a game and not really that important but I have had so much fun playing in the last month that I was a bit heart broken to know that it need not have been but a singular month, but could have been joy that spanned decades.
It occurred to me, much as it did Neo in the second Matrix: “either nobody told me, or nobody knew” and I had definitive proof that people did know.
So then why didn’t they tell me?
Were they afraid I would not enjoy racquetball?
Were they afraid I would not come to see that I needed it in my life?
Would have been an awkward and uncomfortable conversation?
Did they think I wasn’t ready for it?
Or worse did they simply not care?
As I thought on these possibilities it occurred to me, as I’m sure it has to many of you, how much this comparable to the Gospel.
Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion: Behold, thy God reigneth! As the dews of Carmel, so shall the knowledge of God descend upon them!
D&C 128:19
You know you may need to fact check me on this but Imma just say it: the Gospel is a bit better than racquetball. As we see in the above verse we have so much good in the gospel that to compare it to the goodness of racquetball seems a bit asinine, but nevertheless I make such a comparison not because I’m trying to get more people to play racquetball but because I have learned what it is like to go without because the goodness that is there to be had was not shared with me.
Think of it, if we truly believe the Gospel. If we believe that we are not alone in the universe, that there is an All-powerful God and that He cares so much for us that He sent His only begotten Son to die for us that we may live with Him again. If we believe that He has set His hand a second time to His Vinyard and is preparing the world for His Son’s return. If we belive in the actuality of Heaven and Hell and Exaltation and Damnation. How is it we can do anything but tell others!
Are we afraid they would not enjoy the Gospel?
Are we afraid they would not come to see the need for it in their life?
Would it be an awkward and uncomfortable conversation?
Do we think they aren’t ready for it?
Or worse do we simply not care?
Who is there in your life that you’ve not shared the good news with? What if they were to stand before you at the gates of heaven, unable to enter, and ask why did you not tell them? What will your excuse be then?
It is not to late to tell them now, it is not too late to declare it from the roof tops. Don’t let your friends and family miss out on the greatest thing that has ever happened.
Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.
As always I’m praying for thee; please pray for me.