Understanding agency and accountability are fundamental in the LDS faith. Without agency, the whole Plan of Salvation doesn’t make much sense. If we didn’t come to Earth to make choices and choose through our actions to go back to our Heavenly Father, then why are we here?
The For the Strength of Youth pamphlet does a great job of addressing this topic. It explains that “you are being proven to see if you will use your agency to show your love for God by keeping His commandments.”
I recently taught a lesson on this topic, and after reading 2 Nephi: 27 and other scriptures in this same chapter, we concluded that we really have two choices in life. Choices that bring us closer to our Heavenly Father and that bring liberty and eternal life or choices that take us closer to Satan and bring captivity and death. That’s a pretty stark contrast. But once you put all your choices in that light, it’s pretty easy to see which one you really want.
The pamphlet also emphasizes that you have to take responsibility for your choices and that the consequences of those choices have already been set. You can’t choose the action but not take the consequence just as you can’t blame your choices on anyone or anything else. This is where accountability comes into play. It seems as though our society is trying to convince us that we don’t have to be accountable for our actions anymore. Slogans such as “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” and the idea of being able to get away with something since “no one will know” are pervasive but incorrect messages we hear regularly. We will always be accountable for the consequences of our actions at some point.
I love how the section ends with a scriptural reference (Matthew 25: 14-29), which is the parable of the talents. In this parable, the Lord gives his servants talents, and when he returns each of the servants has chosen to do something different with what the Lord gave him. The two servants who increased their talents and made wise choices were rewarded according to their efforts. But the servant who did nothing with his talent was rebuked and his talent was taken away in consequence of his slothfulness. This parable reiterates that we all have the choice to do what we will with our lives, but we have to be accountable for those actions, even if it’s only to the Lord once our mortal existence is over.
The final advice given in this section of the pamphlet is to choose wisely how to spend your time and to be willing to work hard. These choices will bring happy consequences that make agency and accountability a joyful experience in your life.
Related Blogs:
For the Strength of Youth Series