After instructing us to prophecy “to the understanding of men” (Jacob 4:13; see also 1 Corinthians 14:18-19), and explaining that the Spirit “speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be” (Jacob 4:13; see also Doctrine and Covenants 93:24), Jacob provides a cautionary example. The people in Jerusalem, he said, “despised the words of plainness…and sought for things that they could not understand.” He said that these actions caused blindness, “which blindness came by looking beyond the mark” (Jacob 4:14).
When I think of this imagery, I imagine myself on an archery range. Instead of focusing on the target as I prepare to shoot the arrow, I’m looking somewhere in the distance, perhaps admiring the trees or thinking about what it would be like to climb a nearby peak. It’s clear to me that this is a form of self-imposed blindness. How will I hit the target if I’m not focused on it?
Elder Quentin L. Cook observed, “There are many examples of looking beyond the mark” (“Valiant in the Testimony of Jesus,” General Conference, October 2016). Here are a few that he identified:
- “Substituting philosophies of men for gospel truths”
- “Gospel extremism” (fanaticism in focusing on a single aspect of the gospel, such as health practices)
- “Heroic gestures as a substitute for daily consecration”
- “Elevating rules over doctrine”
- “[Refusing] to accept the divinity of Jesus Christ”
(See “Looking Beyond the Mark,” Ensign, March 2003.)
Today, I will strive to see clearly and communicate with plainness. I will avoid the human tendency to overcomplicate things, recognizing that when I do so, I risk missing the most important things.