Inside and Outside

Palpatine. Benevolent and well-meaning on the outside, dark and cunning on the inside.

Throughout most of the Star Wars saga, we see how this character uses deceptions and lies to gain ultimate power over an entire galaxy. The character of Palpatine is so evil, that it may seem hard to believe how anyone can actually be like that. Well, in the time of the Savior, there were some people who acted like Palpatine. The Savior is quoted in the New Testament in this manner:

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."
(New Testament, Matthew 23:27 - 28)

Eventually, Palpatine's inner darkness took over his appearance on the outside. Perhaps we're not evil like he was, or as hypocritical like the scribes and Pharisees, but is there a message that we can learn from their bad examples?

Do we ever pretend that we didn't do anything wrong, when on the inside we know we made a mistake? Do we blame someone or something else when the responsible person is actually us? Do we get mad instead of apologizing when something is really our own fault?

Alma asked similar questions:
"I say unto you, can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?
Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord in that day, and say—Lord, our works have been righteous works upon the face of the earth—and that he will save you?"
(Book of Mormon, Alma 5:16 - 17)

We not only have to be careful about how we behave on the outside, our actions, but also how we think and feel on the inside. Luke Skywalker was often tempted by the Dark Side, by hatred and anger. But in the end, we see that he let go of those feelings and so Palpatine was defeated and destroyed.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven"
(New Testament, Matthew 5:16)

The Savior was the perfect example of having the proper attitude when doing what His Father asked of Him. Even when it was something undesirable and hard as in the Garden of Gethsamane and on the cross.

I hope that we'll always strive to choose the good, both on the inside and outside, how we feel as well as how we act. That's how the Spririt can be with us always to comfort us and guide us when we need and desire it. I believe that to be true.