Quirks

A blog I read made me think of a few things that all of us, whether we agree with the blogger or not, should keep in mind.  

Quirks add flavor to life.  I would never ask people to change the quirks that make them feel special.  Flaws are a different matter.  At times differentiating between quirks and flaws can be difficult, but it's certainly important.  I think the author of the bog go the two mixed up when he said, “If I were given the chance to choose to be straight or be gay, I’d choose to be gay every single time.  I’m not ashamed.”  We shouldn't be ashamed of our quirks and perhaps not even of our trials, and it's great if we think they are admirable personal qualities.  But, are we making certain that our quirks aren't flaws?  

I think there's a chance that we will be allowed to keep our quirks with us as we become like God.  After all, we may judge things by the out word appearance, but the Lord is more interested in the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).  If we keep our quirks away from our hearts I think they will make eternity more enjoyable. Our flaws, however, will not be tolerated (1 Nephi 15:34). Whether or not we get to keep our quirks, I think we do after to be ready to lay them down on the altar of sacrifice.  If Abraham wasn't even able to keep back his son from the Lord (Genesis 22:2), why should we be able to keep our silly little mannerisms?    

Sometimes we get in the trap of thinking natural is better.  We can hardly change our mannerisms because they are so natural.  What we and the blogger need to remember is that we have been asked to fight against the natural man (Mosiah 3:19). The LGTB community is not alone in this.  All of us need to fight to control our passions.  If we put our own desires, even good things that we may eventually keep forever, before the will of the Lord we will lose everything, just like David (2 Samuel 12:9-12).    

Notice, I haven't even mentioned anything about evil acts.  I think many people are trying to prove that homosexuality is a true evil that needs to be vanquished, and I'll save my breath about that in order that I may focus on another point: we must not lose sight of the great commandment (Mark 12:30).  If we turn to the Lord with all of our might, mind, and strength, are we even going to think about our favorite quirks, let alone our favorite sins (Alma 39:13)?  It doesn't matter if we feel as wretched as Paul (Romans 7:24), if we make sure that our whole desire is to serve the Lord, then "death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).