Foolish or Wise – Resigning to Become a Light Trimmer

Yesterday I studied the General Conference talk entitled “Abide the Day in Christ” by Sister Amy A. Wright. I remember loving this talk during the October Saturday morning Conference session. I remember feeling fed, uplifted and inspired. Reading it and pondering it enriched my life yesterday.

She begins her talk with the Savior’s words and the telling of the parable of The Ten Virgins as recorded in Matt. 25:1-13. I will share the NIV version of these verses.

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.”

I paused. ALL 10 went and waited for the coming of the Lord. This a shift for me. In the past I would have made some assumptions based on class discussions, great works of art, and plain old ignorance. I may have assumed some were more valiant than others. I may have assumed that some were righteous and some were wicked. I may have assumed that some loved Jesus and some missed the mark. This time I learned something. ALL took their own lamp – their own “candle” from “under a bushel” and went – which took effort – to meet the Bridegroom. ALL held up their light in great anticipation of a glorious event.

“Five of them were foolish and five were wise.”

I paused again. What made the difference? What made some foolish and some wise? How could I follow the example of the “wise?” It seems like it would be so easy to slip into either group. I have faith in Jesus as my Savior. I try to hold up my light and await His coming. I could be one of the 10 coming to meet the bridegroom. How will I know if I am foolish or wise?

“The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps.”

Step 1: take extra… the wait may be long.

” The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.”

I paused. It is hard to stay fresh and focused when you are waiting for a long time. “Wait on the LORD: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the LORD” (Psalm 27:14, KJV). The Psalmist recognized that waiting on the Lord takes courage. We wait on the Lord by trusting Him. We wait on the Lord by seeking Him. We wait on the Lord through prayer and study. Waiting on the Lord involves the confident expectation of a positive result in which we place a great hope. I began to understand getting drowsy and falling asleep while waiting. Hope dims. Confidence weakens. Discouragement sets in. Exhaustion takes it’s toll. And here it says ALL experienced this dimming of heart and mind as their lights flickered and sputtered and threated to snuff out.

“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet Him!’ Then ALL the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.”

Step 2: ARISE when called.

I paused. There is was again. ALL of them rose to the call. ALL of them prepared their lamps. How does one trim their lamp? What happens when you don’t trim the lamp? Did you know that NOT trimming your lamp can cause the flame to become dim?

I had to think about this. It is here that the wise stand out and the foolish slip back into the shadows.

I had to learn more about trimming a lamp, so I went to the inter-web. I learned that a lamp trimmer used to be a position on a ship. This person was responsible to keep reservoirs filled and wicks trimmed every few hours. A closely trimmed wick – too short – was dim. It could not provide enough light. A wick that is too long will burn high, wasting fuel, and releasing soot in the chimney and the surroundings. A properly trimmed wick had a wedge-shaped flame that burns even and bright. Without a lamp trimmer, there was no light.

Got it! This is such a great metaphor! I could really take off with this idea in a great discussion on The Light of the World, the Holy Ghost, and such, but I will save that for a different post. I needed to focus on what made the difference between foolish and wise.

Step 3: Trim your lamp. Brighten the light.

Clearly, this takes effort. It is work. It takes focus. How does one trim their lamp? a) Trim (cut off that which has turned to ash and is not a sharp edge) at regular intervals to get the most consistent light. Trimming should not be a feast or famine ordeal, doing nothing for days and only giving attention to the wick one day a weak. Trimming is a small act of daily repentance. It is coming to the Lord with a broken heart and a contrite spirit seeking to feel His love and letting go of feeling, emotions, and energies that keep us from feeling the Lord’s love for ourselves and for others. b) Commit to being good at it, so you don’t waste fuel (on drama or misguided ideas) or end up with a dim flame (running on fumes). c) Keep the reservoirs filled at regular intervals so that the light doesn’t go out. It takes practice. It includes practicing daily prayer, study of scriptures and the words of the prophets and other good works. It includes KNOWING Jesus through a focused effort to understand His doctrine, sharing testimony, making covenants, attending the temple and keeping the Sabbath Day holy.

“The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.”

Step 4: Know your limits.

Faith and testimonies are gifts. We can express them, but we cannot write them on the hearts of those we share them with. In the processes of waiting some ran out… of hope, of faith, of testimony. They still knew that they wanted to be at the banquet, but they did not have a strong light to light the way. It was well after midnight, which means it was dark. Their reservoirs were empty. They could not trim their lamps. They missed the lesson that lamp trimming is a daily thing because you never know when you will need the light. They missed opportunities to collect “oil” and add to reserves to be used when called upon to wait. The mists of darkness are real and they often can choke out the strongest of flames and intentions. Somehow, some forgot that we are all responsible for our own lamps. We cannot wait for someone else to fill the reservoir or to trim the lamp. This made the difference.

“But while they were on their way to buy oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with Him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.”

Step 5: Be ready. Know the Bridegroom.

Step 6: “Abide the day.”

Sister Wright continued by reminding us “that Jesus Christ makes it possible to ‘abide the day.” Jesus can take the small things and make them bigger. Jesus can take the weak and make them strong. Jesus can focus the light and make it more powerful. I need to keep it simple, focus my efforts and gather the Light of Christ.

Waiting on the Lord is challenging. I see so many I love struggling to fight through the mists of darkness and to salvage their lamps. Truthfully, I only truly know my situation, but I am confident that God knows everyone. He knows your heartaches. He knows your struggles. He is the source of infinite love, mercy, power, knowledge and glory and He is the answer to all things.

I am so comforted with these words from Sister Wright. “Jesus Christ is the ‘hope in thine end.’ Nothing we have or have not done is beyond the reach of His infinite and eternal sacrifice. He is the reason why it is never the end of our story. Therefore, we ‘must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and all men. Wherefore, if [we] shall press forward, feasting on the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: [We] shall have eternal life. (2 Ne. 31:20).

I finished my study and my pondering with renewed focus, determined to diligently trim my lamp and gather stores of lamp oil.

Today I commit to diligently be a lamp trimmer as I wait the coming of the Bridegroom.