The Bean Counters

I remember reading an essay in high school entitled "The Bean Counters" which chronicled three theories made by a very observant girl regarding the Bean Counters of life. Her conclusion was that she was not here merely to count beans; but to count them, organize them, and even make them in to bean soup should the mood strike her.

So often I find that to be the case in life, and especially in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are welcome to become preoccupied with counting our beans, carefully cataloging and organizing, making sure that everything is just so-so. Or we can refuse to count beans all together, and miss out on the joy that is the bean! These two extremes rarely lead us to the place that we want to go. This place that I am referring to is, of course, safely back into the presence of God, our Heavenly Father.

I have heard it said that God isn't so much interested in what we do... But who we become. Naturally if we recognize that ideas lead to thoughts, which lead to actions, which lead to habits, which lead to character... We understand the relationship between actions and who we are. We also have an example to look to for guidance, " Jesus [said]...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) There is a reason why God gave us a perfect example whom we could follow. We now know the way. We have the instructions. Through modern prophets and apostles we receive slight course corrections when our bean soup starts to be over-seasoned or too runny.

As we follow what God wants us to do we add things to our metaphorical bean soup. It becomes the consistency, and has the proper flavor and look, that we want. There is no need to become preoccupied with our bean counting. There IS a need to remember who we are, and who we want to become. We are children of a loving Heavenly Father. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be cleansed from the sins and mistakes that we make in this life. We can be, as it says in Romans, "...Heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if it so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

As we trust in God, we can understand and know that He has given us many things to help us in our lives. We don't need to become preoccupied with those things. But we can trust that if we do those things that God asks us to do, we will reach that goal that we are shooting for!