You Are Who You Choose To Be

The movie “The Iron Giant” makes me cry. Yep, the animated one about a kid finding a giant alien robot.

The robot had lost his memory, so a boy teaches him about life and humans, and the robot is curious, gentle, and friendly.

Eventually his memory is triggered when he is attacked by the military. He instinctively converts to what he was actually built for- a weapon of destruction. The boy desperately reminds him that he doesn't have to be that way, “You are who you choose to be!"

The robot has to make a choice, and I won’t spoil it for you, but trust me, it gets me every time.

And those words ring so true, “You are who you choose to be."

I know it's easier said than done. But I do believe we all can choose who we really want to be. We can make excuses and wallow and tell ourselves it just isn't possible, that it's too hard, or not in our programming. But what kind of life would it be if we didn't have that choice? No matter where we came from, there is nothing stopping anyone from changing their course. The path we take is up to us.

We see this incredible change take place in the once wicked Lamanites- they grew in righteousness! At the same time, the once righteous Nephites grew in wickedness. And in Helaman 7, don’t you feel Nephi’s anguish? His utter heartbreak?

“How could you have given way to the enticing of him who is seeking to hurl away your souls down to everlasting misery and endless wo?

“O repent ye, repent ye! Why will ye die?

“Turn ye, turn ye unto the Lord your God. Why has he forsaken you?

“O, how could you have forgotten your God in the very day that he has delivered you?”

HOW could you give in to Satan, when he wants NOTHING good for you? HOW could you forget God, when he wants EVERYTHING for you?

One seeks our destruction. One seeks our deliverance.

It’s hard to understand people’s choices.

But we get to choose for ourselves. We choose who we want to be. We can choose to turn to Him, the One who always sees hope and potential in us. Who gives us the power and strength to truly change and be better. He made it possible.

"Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you" Zech. 1:3