Merry Christmas to you this year.
What a wonderful time of year to pause and remember what makes life joyful—friends, family, loved ones, giving, kindness, service, empathy and compassion.
How easy it is to forget in our day-to-day living when we are battling to survive and be successful in our businesses.
Christmas time is a good reminder that the real success in life is not measured by material assets and monetized goodwill but heavenly assets and goodwill toward men.
I know this to be true from personal experience. Life is made rich by how many people we can love, lift and serve. Unfortunately, we can easily lose that perspective in the daunting work of making our small business a successful enterprise.
Jesus Christ taught these principles clearly in the New Testament as follows:
Luke 9:23-25
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
Even more, like any worthy master or great teacher, he taught these principles not just by word but by deed.
Alma 7: 10-13
10 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.
11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.
He paid the ultimate sacrifice and gave his life, literally, that we might be forgiven of our mistakes and enjoy the blessings of eternal life.
In a world of political correctness and secularism, I recognize that these words may be divisive, but I cannot keep myself from testifying of Jesus Christ during the Christmas season.
He is the source of all joy, hope, goodness, happiness, empathy and compassion and I testify that he was born into this world to save us all from the snares, pains and failings of mortality.