Today I was reading in 1 Nephi 8. In this chapter, the prophet Lehi shares a dream he had from God and tells this experience to his sons. The dream starts off where he is visited by an angel and is asked to follow. The angel leads him to what he calls a "dark and dreary waste". At this point the angel has left and Lehi begins wonder because he has found himself lost. After a couple days of wondering around, he decides to pray to God for guidance and mercy. God then shows him this huge field and in the distance, he sees a tree with some fruit on it. But it's not just any fruit, he describes it as a fruit, "desirable to make one happy... sweet above all that [he] had before tasted..." And when he finally took a bite, "it filled [his] soul with exceedingly great joy."
Just like in the Bible with Joseph, Lehi's dream is symbolic. In the Book of Mormon, the Tree of Life (the tree that Lehi saw) represents the love of God and the fruit that Lehi eats symbolizes the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The dream continues on where Lehi is standing underneath the tree and looking out. He sees crowds and crowds of people holding on to this iron rod, that leads them to the Tree of Life. This is supposed to be representative of the Word of God or the scriptures and modern day revelation of prophets and apostles. When the people arrive, they partake of the same fruit and feel the same happiness. They feel the love of God and the cleansing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. They know what true happiness tastes like. Lehi notices that they start to look around "as if they were ashamed". And because they looked around, they saw others in a building far off mocking those who were eating the fruit and standing by the tree.
Moral of the story? Don't cast your eyes.
1 Nephi 8:25,28 "And after they had partaken of the fruit, they did cast their eyes about... And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost."
The people who cast their eyes could be anyone of us. I feel myself at time looking around. I look to other sources to find happiness like money to pay off debts, a new eye shadow palette from Sephora, or new clothes. I think "I'll be happier once we're out of Rexburg or once I have the career I want or when I graduate". I compare and cast my eyes to those who don't share the same standards or beliefs at me thinking they have WAY more fun than I do. I cast my eyes to other families who are in a better financial situation or seem to have it all figured out. I too find my self wondering from the tree and getting lost. I loose the vision that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is supposed to give us all. I am so guilty.
I love this story because it teaches us what true happiness is. It's God's love. John 3:16 , "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." I don't know about you, but everlasting life seems like the grand prize. He is the fruit! So if you believe in Him, you know follow His commandments and try to be like Him, you have IT ALL!
Lehi and his dream made me realize just how blessed I am. I have a husband who absolutely adores me, a cute cat, a family who loves me and supports me, a roof over my head, a good job, the opportunity for education, a running car, and most importantly the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What more could a girl ask for? What's the point of casting my eyes when I have the fruit in my hands? It's about time I started focusing on things that actually matter.
