'Prophets have a way of jarring the carnal mind'
E-mail story
It's easy. Send a link to the story you were just reading to a friend. Just fill out the form on this page and we'll send it along.
Your name and e-mail address are transmitted to the recipient. Otherwise, it is considered private information; see Privacy policy.
"David was a local boy and was ignored until he could no longer be ignored," said President Spencer W. Kimball at the April 1976 general conference.
"The trouble with rejecting the prophets because they lack prestige is that Paul, who knew something of rejection, forewarned us when he said, speaking of the work of God, 'For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.' (1 Cor. 21:26.)
"In multiple scriptures the Lord has indicated that He will perform His work through those whom the world regards as weak and despised. Of course, rejection of the holy prophets comes because the hearts of people are hardened, as people are shaped by their society. Yet even when the hardening is swift, it can also be subtle. Who, for instance, a scant twenty years ago would have foreseen the massive use of abortion in society today, like all the diseased doctrines of the devil. The practice is pleasing unto the carnal minds.
"Prophets have a way of jarring the carnal mind. Too often the holy prophets are wrongly perceived as harsh and as anxious to make a record in order to say, 'I told you so.' Those prophets I have known are the most loving of men. It is because of their love and integrity that they cannot modify the Lord's message merely to make people feel comfortable. They are too kind to be so cruel. I am so grateful that prophets do not crave popularity."
