Passages for the Modern Accomplished Lady

Moderation: Being within reasonable limits; not excessive or extreme.

Most of us, while growing up, have probably heard the phrase, “Your possibilities are limitless.”  As a child, I understood that to mean that I had the ability to take my life in whatever direction I wanted; I was in control of my life.  This is true in a way, but let’s analyze something for a moment.  In science we learn that the universe is governed by natural laws.  It performs certain functions within those laws, and cannot perform certain functions outside of those laws.  Life, in general, also has natural laws.  We live, we die, and we function within those limits.  Therefore life, in a scientific sense, is limited.  We have the freedom to make choices, but within a limited amount of time.  Life is set up to have limits and boundaries, and, by the definition above, moderation is learning to live within the reasonable limits.

We live in a society that is always saying, “push the boundaries” and “extend the limits.”  Moderation has become a boring thing of the past.  No one succeeds, experiences true joy, or lives a life of passion through moderation; at least that is picture the world has painted.  In fact, isn’t it true that in almost all entertainment, the person celebrated, is the one that pushes the limits; thinks outside the box?  Please understand, that I believe much good can come from thinking outside the box.  Most of our wonderful technological advantages have come as a result of thinking outside the box.  However, isn’t it interesting that even thinking outside the box, can only go as far as our own minds can comprehend?  Doesn’t that prove that even “extending the limits” has a limit?  Moderation is not only learning to live within limits, but using limits as a catalyst to freedom.  Let me repeat that: USING LIMITS AS A CATALYST TO FREEDOM.  Limits lead us to freedom; moderation leads us to freedom.   If this were not true, would we have the constitution, or laws?  Don’t those limits protect our freedom?

Consider a child: she learns to walk, but can’t open the door to go out anywhere.  Does the child live in drudgery during that time?  No. In fact, she learns to find joy, passion, and mobility within the walls of the house.  We take comfort in the doors, because if there were no doors, there would be nothing separating our child from the dangerous roads.  Let us also consider the accomplished Lady from days of yore.  She was expected to live within the boundaries of propriety.  Of course, those same rules of propriety do not apply today, but wouldn’t we be better if we were to live within SOME sort of boundaries of propriety?  If moderation leads us to freedom, wouldn’t we be happier to live within limits?

Take our economy as an example.  In 2007, a financial crisis hit the US and global economies.  This “Great Recession,” was brought on by reckless and unsustainable lending practices.  Mortgage lenders financed real estate purchases for customers with sub-prime credit.  These customers locked themselves into legal agreements that they couldn’t realistically fulfill, forcing banks to foreclose, and repossess many houses.  This is just one of multiple causes that brought our economy moving into recession.  If the Mortgage lenders had lived within the limits of propriety, they would have realized that selling homes to people who really can’t afford them, is dishonest.  Also, if the customers buying the homes had lived within the limits of their budget, they would have seen that buying their homes was not realistic.  Now the country is in great financial bondage.  We owe many countries money, and we continue to spend money that realistically we do not have.  People are suffering loss of jobs, and struggling to provide even the necessary provisions for their families.  If we would only return to the principles of moderation, our lives, families, and societies could get back on track.  Moderation is the key to financial freedom, and should be eagerly sought after.

Now, in order to understand Moderation in more depth, we need to answer a question:  If moderation is being WITHIN reasonable limits, who is setting those limits, or rather, who are we LETTING set those limits?  Moderation ALWAYS has a moderator.  Parents are the moderators for their children, legislatures are the moderators for the peoples and nations. In all of these cases, righteous moderation has the capacity to bring about great benefits in people’s lives. However, I wonder if sometimes in our personal lives, we allow the world to set the limits we live in, rather than God.  The world says that excess is what brings happiness.  Excess in money and things fill our lives with joy.  Excess in illicit relationships and love bring each individual the happiness they are seeking.  We KNOW that Americans love to eat excessive amounts of food.  In all of this, we have to remember that wickedness never was happiness.  The joy that is brought by those things does not last, and soon the need to find joy in something else beckons from within.  Likewise, when we find ourselves living in sin, we live in bondage.  We are captive to the carnal man, hindering our spiritual progression and eternal happiness.  In the Bible we read, “For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.  What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.  For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life Through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  If sin is death, can we really allow the world, or Satan, to set the limits we live by?  We also read, “…he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”  God has given us boundaries and laws, to protect our spiritual freedom and happiness.  Moderation is the key to physical and spiritual happiness.  Submitting our selves to this moderation is also the path that was marked out by our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

So, what about passion?  I often think about how Jesus, with all the power He had and miracles He performed, never did ANYTHING unless it was the will of the Father.  The Lord was the most compassionate person who ever lived.  He loved and served all those around Him.   He loved us enough to bleed from every pore; to save us from death.  Passion was not something Jesus was without, but He lived the perfect life of moderation and chose to bridle His passions.  Didn’t He choose to keep moderation in action, thought, and speech?  He fasted for forty days and, when tempted by Satan, was able to withstand every temptation.  I often wonder how a man with that much talent and gift could use restraint enough to lay it aside and not touch it unless asked.  But He was not just a man. He is the Son of God. We learn from the Bible, “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do; for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”  He lived a perfect life within the limits Our Father has set for Him and for each of us.  Isn’t this the goal- to be like the Lord?  “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect,” He commanded us.  So here comes the question: Does passion REALLY matter in the terms of moderation? Shouldn’t we lay our passions aside for a greater good?  I don’t have a definitive answer for every person, but thought provoking isn’t it?  We must strive for moderation.  We must allow the blessings of God’s laws to make us free. “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free,” the Bible says.  Having the knowledge of the gospel truth, takes us to a higher level of freedom.  We are free with truth, God’s truth.

The Bible says, “And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in ALL things.”  As we strive for self-mastery, moderation is the key.  It also reads, “Let your moderation be known unto ALL men.” Sisters, we need to allow the freedom and joy that comes from a life of moderation to permeate our hearts and proclaim to the world, “MODERATION!”  It’s true that sometimes, being a mother limits the amount of free time and social time you have, it also limits the amount of money you can earn, but the JOY that comes from living within those limitations, is priceless.  We can take a stand and allow the moderations of propriety and God to govern our thoughts, and our actions.  We can live within our means, and not allow excess to govern our lives.  We can strive to live, like the Savior, in perfect moderation to God.  We can refrain from the fallacies that the world wants us to embrace and make our contributions in moderation one simple step at a time.

Yours truly,