Keeping perspective

last month for our Relief Society Meeting we invited a local Seminary teacher, Brother Loss, to come speak to us about studying the scriptures.  He shared with us a verse from Isaiah, chapter 64:6

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;  and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."  Brother Loss showed us images of people living on the street in worn out clothes to help us picture this analogy and to feel the humbleness of this statement.

Then we flipped back a few chapters to Isaiah 61:10.  "I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."  Brother Loss taught us that as we read the scriptures, we need to keep in mind our past, present and future selves.  I thought that was a great insight.