"Today we recognize your very significant achievements. We are happy for you and with you. We place robes on your shoulders and mortar boards, tassels and other marks of honor upon you head and about your neck," he said. "At the same time, my plea to you is not to let this achievement or any other success or failure blind you to your central purpose on earth — to learn to do whatsoever the Lord your God may command. ... Without diminishing this day, I urge you to keep your eye on the prize. Let your cap and gown point you to the infinitely greater robe and crown that await you in God's celestial realm."It reminded me of a talk from Elder Maxwell that I listened to last week. It is called The Inexhaustible Gospel. The point that really stuck with me is it does us no good to seek further knowledge in the Gospel until we learn to live according to the knowledge we already have. This is wisdom.
I began to examine my own life. Are there things I know I am supposed to be doing that I am not doing as well as I should?
In addition, brothers and sisters, multiple scriptures make it clear that knowledge is meant to be closely associated with other virtues such as patience, humility, charity, and kindness (D&C 4:6; 107:3031; 121:4142; 2 Peter 1:59).To sum up, a Celestial Life will be one that has behaviours, attitudes, and attributes that match Celestial Knowledge. "And when we see His face, we shall know Him, for we shall be like Him."
Another important insight is that knowledge is intended to travel in a convoy of other Christian virtues. It does not have final meaning by itself. If one possesses some knowledge, as Peter said, but "lacketh" these other qualities, he cannot "see afar off' (2 Peter 1:59). A most interesting concept! Precious perspective is missing unless knowledge is accompanied by these other truths.
