The Gap

In Sacrament Meeting yesterday, one of the speakers discussed the difference between what we say we'll do and what we actually do. Calling this difference "The Gap," the sister giving the talk explained that it is something we experience in many ways in our daily lives.

This sister pointed out that if there is "a measurable need and a measurable outcome," we find it easier to rise to the task, no matter how difficult or even life-threatening it may be. With the natural disasters of the past few years in mind, think about how many people have sacrificed time, money and their own needs to attend to the needs of total strangers. These men and women have been angels to those unto whom they ministered.

The flip side to this is when there is little or no measurable need or outcome. This is when we often fail to perform – even if the task is easy. When we are rushed, overworked and tired, do we take time to sit down with the neighbour who just needs friendship? Do we listen to the child who wants to tell us yet another "knock-knock" joke? One of my friends has a sign in her house that says "Please forgive the mess and noise; my children are making happy memories."

Our Father in Heaven knows each of us personally and it is He who calls us to carry out this, His work. And as the scripture says; "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (see Mosiah 2:17). When we finally realise these truths and act on them, this is when we fill The Gap.