Miss Hoity-Toity

Today, in Church, we talked a lot about things that seemed to be about Sixteen Small Stones. We talked about personal revelation, and I thought about the revelations I have had about SSS and the work in which we are embarking. We talked about service, and I thought about SSS and serving others. Every day, it seems something happens that touches that part of my heart that years to serve. I want to share a personal and rather embarrassing moment. About a week and a half ago, my Dad was staying at the Marriott Hotel in Salt Lake City. As you know, the rest of my family lives here in SLC, and my Dad could have stayed at our house, but since he was here for business, his work put him up in the hotel. Of course, we all went to "hang out" at the hotel and enjoy the pool, etc. One thing we all really enjoy about my Dad staying at the Marriott is his access to the Concierge Lounge. This is a fancy little area on the top (or near top) floor in most Marriott motels. It is an area only people who stay at the Marriott often can access. Since the Marriott costs a FORTUNE to stay in, staying there enough to have Concierge Lounge privileges speaks VOLUMES about a person's wealth and, there for, status and income. Since my Dad's work ALWAYS puts him up in a Marriott, he has stayed in Marriott's enough to get to use the Concierge lounge. To access the Concierge Lounge in this particular Marriott Hotel, one must take the elevator to the top floor of the motel (the top-floor location ensures optimal view from the many lounge windows overlooking Salt Lake City). To get to the top floor, once must actually use a room key inside the elevator to unlock the keypad in the elevator and even be able to push the button for the top floor. This also means only a select few can stay on the floor with the Concierge Lounge. They must use a key to access that floor to even reach their rooms. The Concierge Lounge not only provides a comfortable room in which to sit and watch the big screen TV in a quiet and fancy setting, they also offer (free) meals (potato skins, tamales, sandwiches, chicken...REAL food!) dessert (raspberry cheesecake, carrot cake, fruit, cookies of many kinds, etc.) and snacks (and I don't mean chips and a drinking fountain! We are talking king size candy bars, packets of trail mix, and cans of pop and bottled water, in ice!) While my Dad was here this last trip, we went to the motel to have some dinner. We stepped in to the elevator and a couple of other people were already in there. Something came over me as I reached into my pocket and pulled out my room key. I slipped it into the allotted slot and pushed the twelfth floor button. It was the most sudden and sickening thing that happened next! In my mind, I was suddenly prideful. "WE are going to the TOP floor" I thought, "WE have THE KEY that can lead get us there...to the TOP FLOOR...the CHOSEN FLOOR" as if that made us special, or something.

And suddenly, I was one of those people in Lehi's vision, wearing costly apparel, and pointing from the large and spacious building, laughing at those clinging to The Iron Rod, finding their way to the Tree Of Life. How had that happened? How had I changed? Had it only happened just then? Or was the way I felt the result of small changes over time that I had not even noticed?

I was shocked! To think, two little objects had that effect on me. One little key made of plastic, the same plastic as any other room key, and an elevator button painted with the number "12", the same paint used on all the other elevator buttons. Somehow, those two seemingly insignificant objects, made significant by the understanding of man, had changed me into an arrogant, haughty snot. And suddenly (again), I wanted to be in China. NOW. RIGHT NOW! To be serving the poor. To be living a life that FORCED me to be humble. I wanted it SO BADLY! I yearned for a dirt floor and no money. I LONGED for a life of humility, where I would never again become that monster I had just seen and felt. I want to be changed FOREVER. I want to give everything I have to the service of Others, and the service of God. I wanted to be SAVED from MYSELF...from the wicked, self-centered, greedy, arrogant person that may be inside of me. I wish I could leave now. I wish I could give it all up right now and start my life where I feel REAL and ALIVE and OVERCOME with the Power of God. Where every second of my life is spent in serving His children and in Service for Him! How did I feel that hoity-toity-ness so strongly and so suddenly?