Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, although other elements can be added in as well. But the ratio of carbon to iron has to be very precise. In fact, there’s actually a lot less carbon in steel than in many other forms of iron. Making steel, therefore, is less about adding carbon into the iron as it is getting rid of some of it. Steel is made when certain kinds of iron ore are heated up in a furnace and a lot of oxygen is pumped into the furnace to help strip away some of the carbon. The carbon atoms fit in between the iron atoms and make them stronger, but if there is too much carbon, then the alloy becomes weak and brittle. Carbon is one of the main elements that makes up all living things. We ourselves are made largely of carbon. Most of the things that we interact with or make are also made largely of carbon. The word of God has been compared to a rod of iron. I am sure that if God were able to speak to us in His own language, and we had the capacity to hear and comprehend and understand His words in His own language without going insane or bursting into flames, then we might compare His words to a more pure element like silver or gold. But all of the holy scriptures that we have were spoken and written down by mortals. Mortal inspired by the light of Christ, to be sure. Mortals given the words that they should say by the Holy Spirit. But mortals nonetheless. Carbon-based lifeforms, even. Now, God’s iron words alloyed with our carbon-based weaknesses are still strong and hard and true, but iron is not necessarily as strong as it could be. Relying on the scriptures when we are surrounded by mists of darkness can be a comforting and solid reassurance. But sometimes there is a little too much carbon in the word of God as we have received it. Maybe the language of scriptures from centuries past is a little too archaic or difficult for us to truly allow to sink deep into our hearts. Maybe some of the word of God as delivered by His living prophets seems to fly in the face of long-held beliefs. When we are barely skimming over the surface of the scriptures and studying them without inviting in or accepting the help from the Holy Ghost, then the iron rod starts to rust and flake off in our hands. However, if we hold fast to the rod of iron even when we are in the midst of the furnace of affliction, and especially when in such trying times we plead for the inspiring presence of the Holy Ghost, then He can breathe fresh insights into our minds and hearts, and that divine oxygen can react with some of the excess carbon in our rod of iron until we have instead a bar of stainless steel, harder and stronger and resistant to rust or decay. As pure as we can get our mixture of iron and carbon, the word of God will never be as pure as we might like to experience it. Even the best steel is not pure iron but does contain some carbon. Even the purest scriptures still have the faintest traces of human frailty from the prophet who spoke them. But that’s OK. If there were no flaws or imperfections, then we wouldn’t need to bother with reaching out for guidance from the Holy Ghost. But since we still have some carbon in our iron or our steel, we still need to listen for and give heed to the still small voice of the Spirit.
