I can think of circumstances in my life when, at the time, certain commandments felt like a burden. Why must I go to church when it’s so early in the morning? Why must I worry about serving others when I have my own challenges to deal with? Why must I read the scriptures every day when I have so much to do?

Making obedience even more challenging is the realization that doing so sets one apart from the rest of the world, which is turning more and more away from God. According to a Gallup article from March 2021, “Americans’ membership in houses of worship continued to decline last year, dropping below 50% for the first time in Gallup’s eight-decade trend. In 2020, 47% of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue or mosque, down from 50% in 2018 and 70% in 1999.”

Commitment to obedience was discussed at the general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints last month by Brother Bradley R. Wilcox, first counselor in the young men general presidency in the church.

According to Brother Wilcox, the reality of God’s trust in “children of the covenant” is a crucial reason why Latter-day Saints need to be different from the rest of the world.

Ryan Comer, Standard-Examiner

“God trusts you, the children of the covenant, to help with his work of bringing all his children safely home to him,” he said in the subheadline of his talk as transcribed on the church’s website.

Elaborating in his talk, which was directed toward the youth of the church but applicable to all members, Brother Wilcox said:

“It is one thing to be loved and another thing entirely to be trusted. In the ‘For the Strength of Youth’ guide, we read: ‘Your Father in Heaven trusts you. He has given you great blessings, including the fulness of the gospel and sacred ordinances and covenants that bind you to Him and bring His power into your life. With those blessings comes added responsibility. He knows you can make a difference in the world, and that requires, in many cases, being different from the world.'” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:18-25; Doctrine and Covenants 107:18-21)

Being different is a challenge that Brother Wilcox said he hears about wherever he goes.

“From Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to Thomas, Idaho, the question is the same: ‘Why? Why must Latter-day Saints live so differently from others?’

“I know it’s hard to be different — especially when you are young and want so badly for other people to like you. Everyone wants to fit in, and that desire is magnified to unhealthy proportions in today’s digital world filled with social media and cyberbullying.”

Brother Wilcox compared life on earth to life on a cruise ship.

“The voyage is filled with opportunities to learn, grow, be happy and progress, but it is also full of dangers,” he said. “God loves all his children and is concerned about their welfare. He does not want to lose any of them, so he invites those who are willing (Doctrine and Covenants 20:77) to become members of his crew — that’s you. Because of your choice to make and keep covenants, he offers you his trust. He trusts you to be different, peculiar and set apart (1 Peter 2:9) because of the important work he trusts you to do. (Moses 1:6)

“Think of it! God trusts you — of all the people on the earth, the children of the covenant, his crew members — to help with his work of bringing all his children safely home to him. No wonder President Brigham Young once said, ‘All the angels in heaven are looking at this little handful of people.’

“When you look around on this cruise ship called earth, you might see other people sitting in lounge chairs drinking, gambling in casinos, wearing clothing that is too revealing, scrolling endlessly on cellphones and wasting too much time playing electronic games. But instead of wondering, ‘Why can’t I do that?,’ you can remember that you are not an ordinary passenger. You are a member of the crew. You have responsibilities that passengers do not have. As Sister Ardeth Kapp once said, ‘You can’t be a life[guard] if you look like all the other swimmers on the beach.’

“And before you become discouraged by all the extra obligations, please remember that crew members receive something the other passengers do not: compensation. (Mosiah 2:22, 41; Doctrine and Covenants 59:23) Elder Neil L. Andersen has said, ‘There is a compensatory spiritual power for the righteous,’ including ‘greater assurance, greater confirmation and greater confidence.’ Like Abraham of old, you receive greater happiness and peace, greater righteousness and greater knowledge. (Abraham 1:2) Your compensation is not merely a mansion in heaven and streets paved with gold. It would be easy for Heavenly Father to simply give you all that he has. His desire is to help you become all that he is. Thus, your commitments demand more of you because that is how God is making more of you.”

Trust can be a powerful motivator. I have noticed this in my own life as a parent. When I trust my kids to be able to do something, and I explain to them that I am trusting them, there seems to be a greater desire on their part to actually do it. Even though that means greater responsibility on their part, they are eager to prove that they are up to the challenge. To know that God trusts us to follow his commandments, when he could easily give up on us and say we are not capable, should be inspiring. And it’s not like our success isn’t rewarded. Elder Andersen highlighted well the blessings that come as a result of righteousness. Just like kids may receive an allowance based on their ability to live up to the trust that their parents show in them, when we live up to the trust that God has shown in us, we receive spiritual compensation. This spiritual compensation may not always be immediately recognized, but it will come.

This spiritual compensation is our birthright. Explaining birthright, Brother Wilcox said:

“In 1988 a young apostle named Russell M. Nelson gave an address at Brigham Young University called ‘Thanks for the Covenant.’ In it, then-Elder Nelson explained that when we use our moral agency to make and keep covenants with God, we become heirs of the everlasting covenant God has made with our forebearers in every dispensation. Said another way, we become ‘children of the covenant.’ (3 Nephi 20:26) That sets us apart. That gives us access to the same blessings our forefathers and foremothers received, including a birthright. (3 Nephi 20:25; Abraham 2:6; Genesis 13:16; Doctrine and Covenants 132:30-31; Abraham 1:18; Abraham 2:11)

“Birthright! You may have heard that word. We even sing hymns about it: ‘O youth of the noble birthright, carry on, carry on, carry on!’ It’s a compelling word. But what does it mean?

“In Old Testament times if a father passed away, his birthright son was responsible for the care of his mother and sisters. His brothers received their inheritance and left to make their way in the world, but the birthright son did not go anywhere. He would marry and have his own family, but he would stay until the end of his days to govern the affairs of his father’s estate. Because of this added responsibility, he was given an added measure of the inheritance. Was leading and caring for others too much to ask? Not when you consider the additional inheritance he was given. (Luke 12:42; Luke 17:7-10)

“Today we are not talking about your birth order in earthly families or Old Testament gender roles. We are talking about the inheritance you receive as a joint heir with Christ (Romans 8:17; Doctrine and Covenants 76:54-55; Doctrine and Covenants 88:107) because of the covenant relationship you have chosen to enter with him and your father in heaven. Is it too much for God to expect you to live differently than his other children so you can better lead and serve them? Not when you consider the blessings — both temporal and spiritual — that you have been given. (1 Nephi 21:6)

Romans 8:17, which Brother Wilcox added as a footnote to the above remarks, reads:

“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

Doctrine and Covenants 88:107, also cited in the footnote, reads:

“And then shall the angels be crowned with the glory of his might, and the saints shall be filled with his glory, and receive their inheritance and be made equal with him.”

God is trusting children of the covenant with a great responsibility, but he’s also providing a great opportunity.

I can’t help but think of the line from the movie “Remember the Titans” when the defensive coordinator tells one of his players, “You want to act like a star, you better give me a star effort.” If we want the rewards of being obedient, which is what was mentioned in the above two scriptures, we better prove our willingness to be obedient. In the movie, the player thought the effort being asked of him was too much and perhaps not fair given the circumstances. He had an excuse for not doing what the coach wanted him to that he was not willing to get past and subsequently missed out on an opportunity to be part of what was a thrilling game for his team. Are we willing to miss out on blessings because we think what is being asked of us is too much or not fair?

Brother Wilcox continued:

“Does your birthright mean you are better than others? No, but it does mean you are expected to help others be better. Does your birthright mean you are chosen? Yes, (1 Peter 2:9) but not chosen to rule over others; you are chosen to serve them. (1 Nephi 21:3) Is your birthright evidence of God’s love? Yes, but more important, it is evidence of his trust.” (Exodus 2:25)

A well-known Bible story on birthright is found in Genesis 25. Isaac, the son of Abraham, and Rebekah had two children – first Esau, then Jacob. Esau was described as a “cunning hunter, a man of the field,” while Jacob was described as “a plain man, dwelling in tents.” One day, Esau “came from the field” and “was faint.” He begged Jacob to give him some red pottage. Jacob responded by demanding Esau sell him the birthright. Esau said that he was close to death and asked how his birthright would profit him, Again, Jacob demanded, telling Esau to swear to him, and Esau agreed.

“Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way; thus Esau despised his birthright.” (Genesis 25:34)

I suppose one might read that story and come to the conclusion that Jacob took advantage of Esau and was in the wrong, but the point of the story to me is that Esau did not value his birthright. He certainly didn’t value it as much as Jacob valued it.

How much is my birthright worth to me is a question I find myself asking introspectively.

“It’s ‘a lot to ask of anyone, but you’re not just anyone!'” Brother Wilcox said. “You are youth of the noble birthright. Your covenant relationship with God and Jesus Christ is a relationship of love and trust (Alma 53:20; Alma 57:27) in which you have access to a greater measure of their grace — their divine assistance, endowment of strength and enabling power. That power is not just wishful thinking, a lucky charm or self-fulfilling prophecy. It is real.”

Concluding his remarks, Brother Wilcox expressed encouragement.

“As you fulfill your birthright responsibilities, you are never alone. The Lord of the vineyard labors with you. (Jacob 5:72) You are working hand in hand with Jesus Christ. With each new covenant — and as your relationship with him deepens — you hold each other tighter and tighter until you are firmly clasped together. (Jacob 6:5) In that sacred symbol of his grace, you will find both the desire and the strength to live exactly how the savior lived — differently from the world. You’ve got this because Jesus Christ has got you! (3 Nephi 22:17)

“In 2 Nephi 2:6 we read, ‘Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.’ Because he is full of truth, he sees you as you really are — flaws, weaknesses, regrets and all. Because he is full of grace, he sees you as you really can be. He meets you where you are and helps you repent and improve, overcome and become.

“‘O youth of the noble birthright, carry on, carry on, carry on!’ I testify that you are loved — and you are trusted — today, in 20 years, and forever. Don’t sell your birthright for a mess of pottage. (Genesis 25:29-34) Don’t trade everything for nothing. (3 Nephi 20:38; Isaiah 55:2) Don’t let the world change you when you were born to change the world.”

Contact Ryan Comer at rcomer@standard.net. Follow him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rbcomer8388 and on X at @rbcomer8388.