Valuable Vision

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

-Wayne Dyer

I read this scripture the other day....

"...and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished." - 1 Nephi 17:41

and I started thinking....

What does it mean to look?

By dictionary definition, the word look is both a noun and a verb-

: to exercise the power of vision, to seek, to examine, to expect, to make sure, to have the appearance or likelihood of being, to take care of, to await with hope, to have a specified outlook, to have an appearance that befits or accords with, the expression of the countenance, to show a tendency, to consider, to anticipate with pleasure or satisfaction, to direct one's attention to, to rely upon.

By scriptural definition, to look is an action and state of being necessary to our salvation-

"Look for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing;"  - Titus 2:13

"...unto them that look for him shall he appear."  - Heb. 9:28

"...look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ."  - Jude 1:21

"...look forward unto Christ..."  - 2 Nephi 26:8

"Do you look forward...to stand before God;"  - Alma 5:15

"Look unto me in every thought;"  - D&C 6:36

"...look forth for the time of my coming..."  - D&C 35:15

"...the Lord said...lift up your heart, and be glad, and look." 
- Moses 7:44 

I decided that I would try to better understand the spiritual sense of looking by exercising the power of  my physical vision. So I took a walk around the Arboretum while it was in the full bloom of spring.  But what, exactly, was I looking for?

"...all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me." 

- Moses 6:63

I think I'm beginning to see...

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.

-Albert Einstein

A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.

-Albert Einstein

Visibility does not equate to value.

- Howard W. Hunter

It is always wise to look ahead, but difficult to look further than you can see. 

It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link of the chain of destiny can be handled at a time.

-Winston Churchill