By Anthony Vaughan  May 01, 2013

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, could be considered the landscaper for the path of righteousness. It was through his atonement and the sacrifice of our Heavenly Father’s only son that we have been gifted with a clear piece of property, our souls. How wonderful it is that our Savior loved us so much to make the ultimate sacrifice. So why do we still have problems when trying to live a righteous life? Here are some things to ponder to help you make the decision easier.

Cleared Our Garden of Sin

Let us look at what was sacrificed for us as a garden full of weeds. Our gardens were full of the weeds of transgressions and sins, so our Savior used the sickle of sacrifice to clear our fields. If you look at things this way there should be no problem with our small sacrifices that our Heavenly Father and our Savior ask of us. It was through his unconditional love for us that he washed our sins away and cleared our fields. We make all kinds of sacrifices for our loved ones, so why should what is asked of us be any different? He asks of us to be humble, of a contrite spirit, follow the commandments, and live by the covenants that were gifted to us all to make the right decisions in our lives.

The Gardener’s Manuals

There are many times we wish that we had a manual to help us plant our gardens. We wish for a manual to know when and what to plant, how much to water and when to water our fields. We have been gifted with such manuals – The Holy Bible and The Book of Mormon. With these precious scriptures we can learn how to sow the seeds of righteousness, to plant good thoughts and principles in our hearts and souls, and to reap the harvest of goodness and share the harvest with others. “The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.” (Old Testament, Proverbs 11:18). It is also said, “Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward.” (Doctrine and Covenants 6:33).

All good farmers are thankful for their harvests. It is also said that all good farmers share what they have reaped because it is the right thing to do, an act of unconditional love. If your garden of righteousness has brought joy to your life, why not share it with others? Our Savior shared the good word with all that would listen and follow, so we should bear and share our testimonies of goodness so that the seeds of righteousness can spread to all. Sharing is a great part of gratefulness. Let us also share with our families and children. The key to a farmer’s or gardener’s success is having many hands at the tasks. The gift of sharing and sacrifice lives on when we pass along the tradition of a “Christ-like” existence.

In our lives, joy can be harvested if we plant the right seeds in our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. So the next time we feel apprehensive about changing or making that ultimate sacrifice for the good of our families, let us remember what was sacrificed for us, the atonement of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I hope that these words bring strength and comfort so that you find joy in your lives.

‘The Way Has Been Cleared’ was written by Anthony Vaughan, a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Inspiration behind this article include the words of Boyd K. Packer .

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