The Word of Wisdom is a highly debated and frequently mocked (sometimes, even by members) commandment found within the faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As general authorities of the church have recently released a statement pertaining to it, a lot of chatter has erupted over it. As a fairly common-sense person, I wanted to break this commandment down into easy to understand pieces (even though it's already pretty clear) and help others understand it. Whether you are an active member of the church or an active criticizer, I hope to dispell some common myths and bring to light important truths.
Heavenly Father's Directions
If you haven't read the Word of Wisdom yet, you can find it in section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants. For a quick crash course, here's a quick chart (put together by Susan Fitch) that summarizes what's being said in these scriptures:
The guidelines (things prohibited and things encouraged) found in these verses are pretty plain and easy to understand. With statements such as "tobacco is not for the body" and "it is pleasing to me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine" I'd say the scriptures are very clear. Frankly, I don't believe there's a lot of room for error here.
Something interesting about the Word of Wisdom that I don't think gets acknowledged enough is that it mentions that it is "a principle with apromise, adapted to the capacity of the bweak and the weakest of all csaints, who are or can be called saints." (D&C 89:3). This tells us that these directions are completely doable! However, this also tells us that Heavenly Father expects a lot of us to really struggle with these things, that obedience to this principle would be a great trial to most (if not all) of us. This is significant, and something to be kept in mind as we continue exploring the Word of Wisdom.
We can't talk about the Word of Wisdom without covering the promises found therein. The Lord says,
"And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, ashall receive bhealth in their navel and marrow to their bones; And shall afind bwisdom and great ctreasures of dknowledge, even hidden treasures; And shall arun and not be bweary, and shall walk and not faint. And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the adestroying angel shall bpass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them. Amen."
Let's talk about those promises.
Promise 1: "...health in the navel and marrow to their bones...run and not be weary, and shall walk and not be faint."
We know that God has promised us health (not perfect, infallible health! Not immunity to all ailments and all forms of destruction. Health.) and strength for our bodies with obedience to these commandments. What I appreciate the most about this promise is it provides a clear path to health. Our modern world is filled with fad diets and temperamental "science" concerning food. One day a diet will be "proven" to prevent every cancer known to man, the next it'll cause your body to implode. Businesses everywhere are trying to push ineffective and potentially harmful weight loss pills or shakes on innocent consumers. The Word of Wisdom is so simple and clear, not only in what to do but in what benefits will come of it. I love that! We need that in our present day.
Promise 2: "...find wisdon and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures."
Ever heard someone say "well if the Word of Wisdom is really a divine health code and it's so inspired then why doesn't it mention sugar"? This promise covers that. This is what I know; this health code is a stepping stone in the right direction. As you come to live these very basic things, more inspiration invariably comes to you helping you to decipher what your body-temple should be filled with and what you should avoid. More on this later.
In addition to greater knowledge of how to care for your body, we also gain great temporal and spiritual knowledge. This knowledge will be different for everyone! Maybe it's doctrinal questions answered or a better scholastic aptitude. Maybe it's greater knowledge of the Savior's will or what the scriptures teach us. Perhaps it's a stronger power of discernment or even some sort of insight into the nature of heaven. There are so many different things we can learn in this lifetime! Regardless of the particular pieces of knowledge Heavenly Father deems appropriate to share with you, living this commandment obediently will expand your spiritual and temporal knowledge. That's incredible! How could we ever take that for granted? After all, is knowledge not power?
Promise 3: "...the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them."
HELLO! Hi. God just actually said, to you, right there, in the plainest language that could ever possibly be used, that the DESTROYING ANGEL will pass right by you and leave you unharmed if you will but be obedient to these simple directions.
DESTROYING
ANGEL
That's extremely strong language. If you aren't familiar with the story of Moses and how he led his people out of Egypt, please revisit Exodus. It's a beautiful story that I believe is imperative to understanding the nature of Heavenly Father. In the story of Moses, the destroying angel comes down (Exodus 11) and takes out the first-borns of all those who didn't have lamb's blood over their door (to put it very briefly). That's serious!
Does this mean that the actual destroying angel that brought God's wrath over Egypt will come after us if we are disobedient to the commandment given to us? Perhaps. Is it symbolism for something contributing to the poor health of our modern citizens such as cancer or obesity or infertility and endocrine-related disorders? Could be! Does it matter? No. This strong language used by Heavenly Father tells us that obedience to this principle will save us from a very big source of grief. Personally, I don't care what the specificities of that great and terrible grief would be; If Heavenly Father's provided a way to prevent it...sign me up!
Why God Didn't Mention Every Single Little Thing That is Bad for Us
D&C 58:26-29 says, "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is acompelled in all things, the same is a bslothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be aanxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are aagents unto themselves. And inasmuch as men do good they shall in nowise lose their breward. But he that adoeth not anything until he is commanded, and receiveth a commandment with bdoubtful heart, and keepeth it with slothfulness, the same is cdamned."
What this means for us is we need to use our common sense and seek out righteous things of our own accord. We shouldn't have to be told every single little thing that we should/should not do. If you've come to the knowledge that something is a dumb unhealthy thing (like heroin, for instance) you shouldn't have to be told directly by God not to do that thing. Just respect your body and spirit and don't do the dumb unhealthy thing! I realize this isn't kind language, but I feel it should be put bluntly. God expects us to use our heads! That's why we're here!
While we should apply common sense to our daily lives and avoid partaking in unhealthy foods, habits, or activities, we should also be obedient in faith and allow answers to come when we're ready to receive them.
I mentioned before that obedience to the Word of Wisdom will lead to an increase of knowledge as to what else we should avoid/what we should emphasize in our daily consumption. For some, trusting in God and avoiding hot drinks (even when they didn't understand it at first) has led to the total avoidance of caffeine (caffeine is not explicitly prohibited. However, many recognize how disruptive it is for our bodies and therefore choose to avoid it). The world will speak of "health benefits" associated with wine, tea, and coffee (conveniently overlooking the negative effects). They'll claim that there's nothing wrong with partaking in certain things, especially if you practice moderation. Those who live this commandment faithfully will eventually come to a testimony that abstaining from these substances is truly best for the body and spirit.
In the meantime, we are not being asked to put forward blind faith when we live a commandment that we don't fully understand or see a reason for. Blind faith is obedience for the sake of obedience without the seeking to understand or promise that it will be made clear. We know that if we just stick with it for a little while, we will understand. God will bless us with a testimony as we soften our hearts and live humbly and obediently. We have a promise of knowledge with this principle.
When it's Hard to Give Something Up
As previously stated, Heavenly Father knew that this would be a great trial for the brothers and sisters born into this dispensation. He knew this would be a great stumbling block for us. But what great tool has Heavenly Father also provided so that we can overcome those stumbling blocks in our lives?
The atonement.
Christ is here to walk beside us and carry our burdens with us. We can hand over our struggles to Christ anytime we need to! If you are struggling with an addiction (drugs, food, etc) and can't seem to find relief, turn to Christ.
The atonement wasn't performed as a "get in quick" ticket to Heaven for all of us. It's a strengthening agent. It can and should be applied to all of our pains and shortcomings. While we can utilize the atonement to find strength on our bad days when everything seems to go wrong, we can just as easily use it to help us abandon harmful habits or to find the strength to adapt new healthy ones. When you are faced with terrible temptation or are struggling to live with obedience to the gospel, that's the best time to go to Heavenly Father in prayer asking for the strength to make it through this trial through the power of the atonement. That's the time to humble yourself and have an open conversation with your loving Father in Heaven. Positive change is possible! You just have to have the humility to turn to your greatest ally.
Constant striving. That's all that Heavenly Father is really asking for. Constantly seek to do better today than you did yesterday. Work little by little to be just a bit more obedient than you were before. If you stumble, reach out to Christ and allow him to help you get back up on your feet. It's not always easy, but it is possible.
I recognize that not all of the things we should avoid are easy to abstain from. Some things are becoming so socially acceptable that you're seen as an idiot or a prude for not partaking. Other addictions you might have been raised with/around and just don't believe that abstaining is possible or would make a difference. That's valid. All the same, if you find you have an unhealthy habit you are struggling to break, I invite you to offer it to Christ. Do not make excuses. Do not allow the adversary to abuse your body any longer. Love the divine gift you've been blessed to experience this mortal life with. Employ common sense and seek the Lord's help in all things (even and especially your diet).
Why the Word of Wisdom is Considered a Commandment Today (Since 1921)
Our bodies are extraordinary blessings that Satan and his followers could never have. How envious Satan is of us! We often speak of Satan corrupting and abusing our bodies, these great and mighty instruments for growth, by enticing us to commit sexual transgressions or partake of hard drugs. But do we really believe these are the only ways he seeks to destroy them? We know that he's talented with deception. Why wouldn't he seek to trick us into regularly consuming toxic substances that damage our bodies or our relationships with them? Satan doesn't just make us feel insecure, he leads us to make decisions that would lead to that insecurity.
Our bodies are temples. Satan would love to destroy our holy temples wherein sacred, life-saving ordinances are performed from the inside out. Of course he'd try to do the same things to our bodies! Trusting the Lord and listening to what he has told us to do is the best way to overcome Satan in this regard.
Is it not also a covenant we have made with the Lord that we will follow him? Why wouldn't this include his counsel and request to commit ourselves to live in a manner which promises us healthier and happier vessels with which we can do the Lord's work and gain exaltation?
Have you ever been in a college class with a professor who said "you can get a passing grade without attending class, but if you want an A or a B in here, you'll have to attend"? As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are not just seeking a quick "C" on this test called life. We're striving for an A. A temple recommend (and living worthily of that recommend) is considered an A in Heavenly Father's eyes. To get an A, you have to really apply yourself. You have to mind all of your duties and responsibilities. You have to live with integrity and humility. You have to consider the entire big picture, not just the bigger moving parts. This is why we take the Word of Wisdom so seriously. This is why the Lord's representatives on earth have asked us to live in such a manner that heeds all of the Lord's counsel as we strive for exaltation.
Many are under the impression that if it was really that important to God, he'd have come right out and made it a commandment rather than inviting saints to take the time to commit themselves to it before making it a commandment. I challenge this line of thinking. This belief is flawed, firstly, in that it places constraints/human expectations on how God would go about his business. Heavenly Father is far more merciful than you or I. He is far wiser. He is intimately aware of the needs of all of his children. Therefore, he is completely at liberty to set whatever expectations of us all as he will in the speed and capacity that he will. Joseph F. Smith himself noted that, had the Lord come right out and made this a commandment, most of the saints at the time would have been damned due to the addictive nature of these things which were commonly consumed in the culture at the time. He, in his divine authority, presented information and a period of grace, with which the saints could prepare to honor this as a commandment. Secondly, the Lord cares about how we treat our bodies. Our bodies are a key player in our ability to get anything out of this life, and what we do with and to them has a powerful impact on our spirits-for better or for worse. I have no trouble believing that the Lord did what he knew was best as he directed us to take better care of our bodies so that we may be able to meet the spiritual and physical demands of this dispensation.
It is my testimony to you that the Word of Wisdom is in fact inspired words from the Lord himself. I know that this health code is an essential step for saints to care for their bodies and develop a deeper connection with their Father in Heaven. I know that as we strive to live this commandment more and more every day, incredible blessings will be poured upon us. I have experienced it myself. Brothers and Sisters, God knows what he's doing. I am so grateful to have a Father in Heaven who is helping me every step of the way to really become the best possible version of myself that I can be-no excuses. I'm grateful for the strength Christ provides me as I come up against trials. I'm so very grateful to have the full gospel of Jesus Christ restored in my day so that I can challenge myself to try every day to be more like him. The Word of Wisdom is now and will forever be nothing short of an immense blessing.
For more helpful information on the word of wisdom, I encourage you to watch this video and read this article. These are filled with great insights!
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