"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." (Matt 6:19-20)
I like to think that you can tell what you want most by what your idle mind turns to when unleashed. For me, very often, it turns to some combination of math or physics. As an aspiring Engineer, these are good things for me to be thinking about. The medical student should be thinking of medicine. The educator should be drawing up lesson plans. The athlete should be concocting new plays or maneuvers. Each situation is different, but none of these or any other profession are exempt from the need to think of Christ.
Those baptized by proper authority are bound to a promise to always remember Christ, resulting in his holy spirit to guide them through their lives. What a deal! Glorify God and Jesus Christ in our thoughts and they will always be with us.
Personal and internal worship is important, but is not the only way we can-or should-glorify our Father or our Savior.
"You get what you go for," is a saying thrown around in multiple settings: in school when students want an A, in sports when you want to win, in dating when you want...a date, etc. It just as easily applies to the aforementioned scripture in Matthew; you will receive the treasure you seek. If you want to be the best lawyer there is, do it. If you want to be the president or leader of your country, I do not envy you, but you can do it. If you want to be glorified by your peers and all the world, do it. You really can achieve anything you desire. Don't expect your path to be level and clear. Of all the millions of child athletes, only thousands make it to the pros. Of all the pros, only hundreds become all-stars. Of all the all-stars, only a dozen become icons. And of all the icons, there is only one Michael Jordan. There is only one Wayne Gretzky. There is only one Babe Ruth. But if you want your name to live on, beat the 1,000,000:1 odds. Do it.
This post, however, is not meant to encourage, but to warn. Treasures of money, status, and fame are very nice and I imagine can be quite enjoyable (I imagine because I have yet to actually experience either). But, in almost every case, some other "thief" will come and take your status in the form of simply being better. Some thief may literally take your money. I have seen too often the affect of time on the corruption of someone's name and legacy. Once that all corrodes away, they are left with so little. Their substance is lacking and they find their treasure was of a very temporary nature.
"For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low:
...And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up,
And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall,
...And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord ALONE shall be exalted in that day." (Isaiah 2:12, 14-15, 17)
This scripture focuses on the wicked and the haughty, but in the words of Vampire Weekend, "We know the fire awaits on believers and all of the sinners the same". No one's pride is safe. What you have achieved won't matter when the Lord comes because it will completely pale in comparison. What will matter is your relationship with him and your own valiant testimony (D&C 76).
I'm not lobbying for mediocrity nor do I preaching the doctrine of poverty. I want very much to be an influential engineer and earn a comfortable living for my future family. I do, at the same time, hope for the Lord to see my efforts in glorifying him. I try to be helpful. I'm not very good at it, but I also try to be kind. I remind myself that the achievements I've made and the opportunities I've met have been gifts given me from the Lord because of my faith in him.
In the last days, the Lord alone will be exalted, but that doesn't mean we all will be forgotten. Our Heavenly Father knows us and expects us to excel in whatever we aspire to do. All that he asks is that we remember Him as the source of all goodness.
"You do you!" Just, remember who "you" are.
