Editor’s note: “The Spoken Word” is shared by Lloyd Newell each Sunday through the weekly Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square broadcast. This will be supplied Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024.
Magnificence feeds our souls. We need to have food stuff, h2o, and shelter to endure, but we need splendor to prosper. So in addition to planting vegetable gardens, we plant flowers. We make shelters, but we also paint murals, lay attractive tile, strum guitars and develop fountains like all those we see here in lovely abundance in Mexico. We crave the creative imagination that improves our existence, even although some may well think about it “nonessential.”
In a single of his popular speeches, Shakespeare’s King Lear attempts to assistance his unfeeling and selfish daughters, Goneril and Regan, recognize the vital nature of the nonessentials. When his daughters argue that he no more time desires all the prospers of his former life, Lear implores them, “O, reason not the require!” Reduced to only what we will need, he claims, our life gets to be as “cheap as [a] beast’s” (see William Shakespeare’s “King Lear,” act 1, scene 4, line 304.) There is more to humanity — much more to dwelling — than just sustaining life.
We had been developed not just to dwell but to have pleasure. When we produce and enjoy splendor, we are adhering to the sample of our Creator. He designed the solar due to the fact we need to have sunlight, and He also produced sunrises and sunsets colourful mainly because we will need natural beauty. As His children, we do the exact same when we develop operates of artwork like these colourful tiles — not so significantly due to the fact they are purposeful but simply because they’re stunning. Likewise, we could point out a fact, or we could share it by means of poetry and songs, and suddenly the truth of the matter gets to be a treasure. Beauty improves daily life.
Just days right before His burial, the Lord was approached by a female with “an alabaster box of ointment … quite precious” (see Mark 14:3). In a sacred and loving act of worship, she used the fragrant oil on the Savior’s head. Some responded critically: the oil was so costly, the gesture so pointless. But the Savior answered, “She hath wrought a great get the job done on me” (see Mark 14:6). The cost of the oil would shortly be overlooked, but the woman’s gorgeous gesture would generally be remembered.
Each time we lovingly make, each time we diligently beautify, when we raise other folks with our artistic acts of loveliness, we glorify God. We convey ourselves and other individuals a very little closer to the divine. So following time you’re inclined to make one thing stunning, “reason not the need to have.” Make the globe a little much better by making it just a little a lot more attractive.
Tuning in …
The “Music & the Spoken Word” broadcast is obtainable on KSL-Television, KSL NewsRadio 1160AM/102.7FM, KSL.com, BYUtv, BYUradio, Dish and DirecTV, SiriusXM Radio (Ch. 143), the tabernaclechoir.org, youtube.com/TheTabernacleChoir and Amazon Alexa (should allow talent). The software is aired dwell on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. on quite a few of these stores. Appear up broadcast data by state and city at musicandthespokenword.com/viewers-listeners/airing-schedules.
