Adjusting Your Idle Can Be Exhausting • followHIM Favorites • April 28 - May 4 • Come Follow Me

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Adjusting Your Idle Can Be Exhausting"

Episode: followHIM Favorites • April 28 - May 4 • Come Follow Me
Release Date: April 24, 2025
Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Title of Episode: Adjusting Your Idle Can Be Exhausting

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Introduction

In this episode of the followHIM podcast, hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway delve into the concept of idleness, both literal and metaphorical, through a relatable family story. The discussion intertwines personal anecdotes with scriptural teachings from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Come, Follow Me curriculum, specifically focusing on sections 41 through 44, with an emphasis on section 42.

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Personal Anecdote: The Tale of Two Vehicles (00:03 - 03:03)

Hank Smith opens the conversation by introducing a personal story that illustrates the dangers and implications of idleness. Shortly after marrying, Hank and his wife upgraded their family vehicle to a Toyota 4Runner, affectionately naming it "Elias." Their goal was not only practicality but also to infuse a scriptural reference into their daily lives.

John Bytheway chuckles, remarking, "Very scriptural vehicle" (00:39).

However, their enthusiasm soon meets a challenge. While attempting to tackle the steep gradient of Parley's Canyon, they encounter a significant obstruction: their 4Runner struggles to maintain speed on cruise control, metaphorically "idling" under pressure.

Hank recollects, "[...] this car's gutless, you know, it doesn't have enough power" (00:39). This mechanical idleness becomes a turning point for a deeper discussion.

With the need for a more reliable vehicle due to their growing family, Hank and his family decide to switch to a Honda Odyssey minivan in 2002. Unlike the 4Runner, the Odyssey successfully conquers Parley's Canyon without faltering, operating smoothly on cruise control.

The pivotal moment occurs when the family stops at a stoplight, and both Hank and John perceive a profound scriptural connection to the car's behavior. Hank articulates, "We came up with our own definition for being idle. Tremendous potential. Doing nothing. It was this engine just sitting there doing nothing" (01:50).

John reinforces the concept by stating, "Thou shalt not be idle. You can see the Lord saying, you're amazing. You're the Honda Odyssey. What are you doing sitting there?" (02:29).

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Scriptural Insights: "Thou Shalt Not Be Idle" (00:14 - 02:36)

The hosts draw a parallel between the car's idling state and human behavior, emphasizing the scriptural mandate, "Thou shalt not be idle."

Hank reflects, "That idea of being idle, what does that mean exactly?" (00:14), leading to a thoughtful interpretation:

• Idleness as Untapped Potential: Just as an engine running without delivering power represents wasted capability, being idle in one's life signifies not utilizing one's God-given talents and opportunities.

• Commandment’s Relevance: The phrase "Thou shalt not be idle" resonates as a commandment, urging individuals to remain active and purposeful in their endeavors.

John extends this thought by personifying the Honda Odyssey as a symbol of divine potential awaiting activation: "You have this tremendous power and potential, and you're sitting there doing nothing." (02:36).

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Practical Applications: Avoiding the Idle Mind (02:47 - 03:03)

Expanding on the theme of idleness, John introduces the age-old adage, "the idle mind is the devil's playground." This notion underscores the susceptibility to negative influences when one's time and energy are not productively engaged.

Hank concurs, highlighting the vulnerability that comes with having "nothing to do": "People get in trouble when they have nothing to do." (02:47).

John offers a practical defense against temptation: "Just be too tired to sin. When Satan says, hey, come over here and sin," (02:51), suggesting that a busy and purposeful life leaves little room for negative behaviors.

Hank echoes this sentiment, "You're like, I would, but I'm too worn out. I've been busy all day." (02:58), reinforcing the idea that exhaustion from meaningful activity serves as a natural deterrent against indebting oneself to sin.

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Conclusion and Invitation (03:03)

As the discussion wraps up, John invites listeners to explore the full podcast episode titled Follow Him, available on all major podcast platforms. He highlights the episode's collaboration with Dr. Ken Alford, praising his contributions: "He is so good and so smart and so loving. You're going to love it." (03:03).

Hank and John encourage listeners to return for future episodes of followHIM Favorites, promising continued insightful discussions aligned with the Come, Follow Me lessons.

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Key Takeaways

1. Idleness Defined and Avoided: Drawing from both personal experience and scripture, the hosts illustrate the importance of avoiding idleness to harness one's full potential and prevent susceptibility to negative influences.

2. Practical Wisdom: Maintaining an active and purposeful life serves as a safeguard against distractions and temptations that can lead one astray.

3. Symbolism in Everyday Life: Everyday experiences, such as the performance of a vehicle, can offer profound insights into spiritual and personal growth.

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Notable Quotes

• Hank Smith (00:39): "There’s a phrase in here. Thou shalt not be idle. He that is idle shall not eat the bread, nor wear the garments of the laborer."

• John Bytheway (02:29): "Thou shalt not be idle. You can see the Lord saying, you're amazing. You're the Honda Odyssey. What are you doing sitting there?"

• Hank Smith (02:47): "People get in trouble when they have nothing to do."

• John Bytheway (02:51): "Just be too tired to sin. When Satan says, hey, come over here and sin."

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Connect with followHIM

Stay updated with the latest episodes and engage with the followHIM community through various platforms:

• Show Notes: followhim.co
• YouTube: FollowHimOfficialChannel
• Instagram: Instagram.com/followhimpodcast
• Facebook: Facebook.com/followhimpodcast

Please note that the followHIM Podcast is not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The opinions expressed on episodes represent the views of the guest and podcasters alone.

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Transcript Timestamp Reference:
Click on the timestamps below to jump to the respective sections in the transcript:

• 00:03
• 00:14
• 00:39
• 01:00
• 01:50
• 02:29
• 02:47
• 02:51
• 03:03

Note: Actual clickable links are not included in this summary.

Transcript

[John]

Hello, everyone. Welcome to Follow him favorites. This is where John and I are sharing a single story to go with each week's lesson. John, we're in sections 41 through 44 today, and you've told me to come to section 42 because you have a story.

[Hank]

There's a phrase in here. Thou shalt not be idle. He that is idle shall not eat the bread, nor wear the garments of the laborer. But that idea of being idle, what does that mean exactly? Well, soon after my wife and I were married, Hank, we had a couple of kids who kind of outgrew our car own and got a Toyota 4Runner. And we wanted to name it Elias. We thought that'd be funny if people went, oh, Elias was a 4Runner.

[John]

Very scriptural vehicle.

[Hank]

We want a license plate that said Elias. Somebody had already had the idea and taken it. This was great. But have you ever been up Parley's Canyon before, Hank? Kind of a grade that you have to go up. We put it on cruise control. You know, it's 65 or whatever, but it just wouldn't make it. It was what people sometimes say. This car's gutless, you know, it doesn't have enough power. And so it would.

[John]

Yeah.

[Hank]

And then. Okay, Hank, you know, my son Matthew was time to have another, and we thought, we. We need a minivan. And Kim wanted to postpone the evil minivan day as long as possible, but we went and we got a Honda Odyssey at 2002, as I recall.

[John]

Ooh, okay. You sold a lot of books that year.

[Hank]

All right. It was used, but of course, to test drive it. Went up Parley's Canyon with my wife. What is. What is this going to be like? I wonder if this will make it on cruise. Went right up Parley Summit without coming out of cruise control. I thought it was so awesome when we got up there finally and we stop at a stoplight, and both had this impression. What's the word we use when an engine is running but it's not delivering any power?

[John]

That's idle, Right?

[Hank]

It's idling. Yeah. And it was this great scriptural connection that we made. We had just come over Parley Summit, and we both started talking about, whoa, those scriptures. Thou shalt not be idle. We came up with our own definition for being idle. Tremendous potential. Doing nothing. It was this engine just sitting there doing nothing. I knew that that was the term for an engine that was running before I knew it was a scriptural term. To not be idle, thou shalt Kind of sounds like a commandment doesn't it? Hank Right.

[John]

Thou shalt not be idle. You can see the Lord saying, you're amazing. You're the Honda Odyssey. What are you doing sitting there?

[Hank]

Yeah. You have this tremendous power and potential, and you're sitting there doing nothing. Thou shalt not be idle. That's what my Honda Odyssey taught me. Hank Right.

[John]

I love it. I think there's an old saying that says the idle mind is the devil's playground.

[Hank]

People get in trouble when they have nothing to do. Right.

[John]

Just be too tired to sin. When Satan says, hey, come over here and sin.

[Hank]

You're like, I would, but I'm too worn out. I've been busy all day.

[John]

Exhausted.

[Hank]

I love it.

[John]

We hope you'll join us on our full podcast. It's called Follow Him. You can get it wherever you get your podcast. We are with Dr. Ken Alford this week. You're going to love what he does with these sections. He is so good and so smart and so loving. You're going to love it. Then come back here next week. We'll do another Follow him favorites.