No one else determines your ranking. Only YOU DO!!!!!
He gives us a few steps to follow as we determine our personal ranking before God:
Remember the Good examples of those around you
1. Act Instead of React (LOVED this one)
2. The Lord Loves Men and Women of Integrity
3. Go Forward Humbly
4. Remember to Take Courage
5. Build Your Foundation
6. Be like the Good Samaritan
"Remember with God's help we can know and share good cheer and happiness now and in all the days ahead. Today is a new beginning. Today is a new opportunity."
Boo-ya! Cause sometimes... yesterday was crap. (excuse my g-rated french) Today is always a fresh slate. Living today because of something in the past that was not so great or not so nice has never gotten me too far. Living like today is a fresh chance to start a new...? Now THAT is where it's at. To DO that...? There's the challenge. It's hard, but it's possible. It takes 'higher thinking' (more on that another day)
I personally have found that people who are happy are happy in spite of their circumstances and in spite of what others think of them. A persons satisfaction or dissatisfaction with life tends to rub off on the people around them, whether they intend it or not. I liked Ashton's talk. It was a good reminder to me to REMEMBER the good examples around me. At the end of the day, it's our personal ranking with God and not man that matters and that's how I think we should respond in our personal attitudes, words and actions; to God's opinion of us, not man's. Each day we choose happiness or misery. Like he said, it's our right and responsibility to determine our personal ranking.
For more insight and awesome examples, here's the link to the talk I reference above. Marvin J. Ashton BYU Devotional Nov 1984. Not to mention it's the year BYU won the national championship, so there are plenty of football accolades lacing his talk. :)
A little about this man. Marvin J. Ashton. He was called as an apostle December 2, 1971. This was reported after his call:
Soon after Elder Ashton’s appointment was announced, he was asked by a reporter if the call shocked him. His answer was, “No, the call didn’t shock me; it surely surprised me, but it didn’t shock me. No one who is striving to do his duty in the Church should ever be shocked when a call comes.”
AMEN!!!! Shouldn't we ALL be prepared for ANY call that may come our way? And respond to ANY call with equal enthusiasm and determination to fulfill it? I love that. I agree whole heartily. I like this guy. Growing up, I always remembered him as the 'smiley apostle'. He passed away 25 February 1994.
A couple of favorite quotes:
“It occurs to me that there are probably hundreds or even thousands who do not understand what worthiness is. Worthiness is a process, and perfection is an eternal trek. We can be worthy to enjoy certain privileges without being perfect” (Ensign, May 1989, p. 20).
“Young people, bearers of the priesthood, God wants us to be victorious. He wants you to triumph over all of your foes. Stalwart and brave we must stand. God is at the helm. There is no reason for defeat” (Ensign, Nov. 1989, p. 37).
And one last one:
“When we have a yearning and don’t know what it is for, perhaps it’s our soul longing for its heartland, longing to be no longer alienated from the Lord and the pursuit of something much higher, better, and more fulfilling than anything this earth has to offer,” “May our yearning for home be the motivation we need to so live that we can return to our heavenly home with God our Father on a forever basis” (Ensign, Nov. 1992, p. 23).'nough said.
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