Fences: Foes or Friends?

Are there any fences in your life? What are they for? Are they to keep things in or keep things out? What about fences God puts up?

Today during the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (watch it online! http://new.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng) one of the speakers, Elder Mervyn B. Arnold, shared a quite poignant analogy about a fence. He told about his boyhood growing up on a ranch. One of his chores was to watch the cows to make sure they didn't break through the fence into the neighboring wheat field. If the cows ate the wheat, they would become bloated and eventually suffocate. Elder Arnold told about one cow that was determined to get at the wheat. She was always trying to poke her face through the fence. One day, she managed to break through and by the time Elder Arnold caught her, she had already eaten a large quantity of wheat and had begun to swell. He was so upset and wondered why she had to do it. He ran for help, but when he returned she had already died.

Elder Arnold then drew a parallel: how many of us are just such a cow? We see God's commandments as a fence separating us from the seemingly delicious wheat just a field away. And yet God knows that that wheat will only harm us--even kill us. The fence is not a foe, but a friend and a protector. If the cow breaks through to the wheat she may think she is free, but in reality her freedom is lost as she is destroyed by the wheat. It's the same with us. Our greatest freedom comes when we stay away from the fenced-off areas of morality. Elder Arnold said that in the realm of righteousness and wickedness the grass is never greener on the other side for "wickedness never was happiness" (Alma 41:10 in the Book of Mormon).

This analogy struck me so strongly. I remember being so angry as a young teenager, feeling like God's commandments were keeping me away from really living. In reality, they were allowing me to truly live and kept me from death--spiritual death and maybe even physical death. I work at a law firm right now and see so many people whose lives have been destroyed by drugs, alcohol, and other things I used to think were "really living." Those things take away our freedom like nothing else. Sin enslaves; obedience to God expands and sets free. I've never felt freer or happier than when I am striving with all my might to follow God. It's amazing! You can actually feel your spirit expand as you do what is right and realize you are becoming stronger. You become free from anger, offense, and all the other things that really just enslave peace and progress.


Sometimes I almost laugh--or cry--to think how silly we are sometimes in kicking against the one being who loves and knows us better than anyone and whose entire goal is to show us the way to be the absolute happiest we can be.


I hope this didn't sound too much like a rant :) Now that I'm sitting here I reflect and think of how beautiful it is that God builds fences. But they're only fences if we're wanting to go to the other side. However, it's not really that the fence is separating us from another side. The fences we sometimes want to cross lead into tiny, miserable pens that are really the fenced in places. We are on the outside of the fences with infinite space to grow, expand, love, explore, create, and become like Our Father in heaven. The fenced in places are like tiny specks--little fenced in spheres within an infinite sea of potential. Who would want to go there? Why would we want to dwell in one of these little places and close off growth and opportunity when God wants to give us everything and keep us free? He loves us and I know he knows what's best for us. Just like any rebellious teenager, we have to come to realize that and open our eyes to what the fences really mean and what they show. They don't show cruelty, but infinite wisdom and love. God will let us go into those little fenced in places if we insist--He's given us the freedom to choose--but He puts up fences to let us know where the quick sand lies--He gives us warning signs because He loves us and wants us to remain free and move forward in ever growing happiness. 


Maybe I've gone on too long and no one will read this :) But it was enough that it helped me sort out my thoughts and feelings. For any who are reading, I bear to you my testimony and witness that God loves you with a love beyond measure and is your Father. And that if you listen to His words, He will guide you on the path of life that leads straight to Him and to never ending happiness and progression with your families forever. This I write, in the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.


ps - one other thought I want to add: think of how much care a farmer takes in putting up a fence to keep his cows safe and well. Our God does the same, putting in so much care to guide us. Let's be grateful and rejoice! Not gripe and grumble :) That goes for me, too! Thanks for reading! You get a golden star for making it all the way to this line!