I've always been fascinated with The Parable Of The Ten Virgins...
As a child I remember seeing my first picture (different than this one) at my Aunt Marilyn's house and I would just sit and stare at it, trying to imagine what each girls name might be, and wondering what each girls story was and what brought them to that point in the picture...I always wanted to be just like the prettiest girl! And my heart would break for the five virgins that were sad, I just wanted to jump in the picture and help them! I could never figure out why they were sad, meaning, in my young mind living the gospel and loving our Savior was so easy...this picture has always inspired me to want to do better, sometimes I feel like the last five virgins, as I'm not as prepared as I should be and could do so much better in my life and yet sometimes I feel like the pretty one, happy and striving to my fullest.
It's funny how much symbolizim there is in each picture of The Ten, and what you can draw from it to help you prepare for your own journey to meet the bridegroom.
(Pres. Spencer W. Kimball said;)
(Pres. Spencer W. Kimball said;)“This was not selfishness or unkindness.
The kind of oil that is needed to illuminate the way and light up the darkness is not shareable.
How can one share obedience to the principle of tithing;
a mind at peace from righteous living; an accumulation of knowledge?
How can one share faith or testimony? How can one share attitudes or chastity….
Each must obtain that kind of oil for himself….
In the parable, oil can be purchased at the market.
In our lives the oil of preparedness is accumulated drop by drop in righteous living.
Fasting, family prayer… control of bodily appetites, preaching the gospel,
studying the scriptures- each act of dedication and obedience is a drop added to our store.
Deeds of kindness, payment of offerings and tithes, chaste thoughts and actions,
marriage in the covenant for eternity-
these, too, contribute importantly to the oil with which we can at midnight refuel our exhausted lamps.
(Faith Precedes the Miracle, p.255)
1 comment:
I, too, have always been enthrawled by the parable and the pictures. It was just recently that I learned that all ten women are "members". While growing up I thought of them as 5 bad & 5 good. That's not the case. Remember, they were all still virgins and outwardly doing what was right and upholding their standards. It's those inward sins that got them.
I hope I'm not too foolish that I miss the bridgroom. Thanks for being the type of sister that encourages me to acummulate my own oil, one drop at a time.
Love You, Liz
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