On the surface, this may seem like a lot to ask someone to do. Yes, we should all try to demonstrate hospitality to others, but that usually equates to having someone over for dinner or maybe spending a night or two at your house. But to ask someone, “Hey, would you mind putting up my mother for the rest of her life?” — well, that would seem to go well beyond the bounds of a simple favor.

Yet, John doesn’t hesitate to agree to take Mary home with him. We don’t know if John is married, but if he is, he’ll certainly have some explaining to do when he arrives home this day. But regardless of his current living situation, this will certainly be a pretty major change in his home life going forward.

So why does he agree to do this? Well, on the one hand, when your close friend makes a final request as He is being executed, it’s hardly the time to try to explain to Him the ways in which His request might be a bit inconvenient for you. But, on the other hand, it’s also true that Mary is a fellow disciple of Jesus, so John has his own love for her (as we today should have for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ), so when presented with the opportunity to do something to help her, he agrees to do so.

But there’s another simple reason why John couldn’t refuse this request, and the same concept applies to us today: If Jesus tells you to do something, you do it!

Yes, when the Lord tells you to do something, it’s not up for negotiation. The correct answer is, “Yes, I’ll do it.” He doesn’t need an explanation as to why it isn’t possible or other suggestions as to how the same thing might be able to be accomplished in a different way. He knows what you can do and what you can’t do. If He’s picked you for this assignment, you can do it!

When the sons of Lehi were told to return to Jerusalem to obtain the brass plates from Laban, Nephi’s brothers responded by saying that this task was too difficult to accomplish. But Nephi’s reply was:

“I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” (1 Nephi 3:7)

That’s the right response. If the Lord is really directing you to do something, He’ll work out the details for it to be accomplished. You just have to be willing to make yourself available and put yourself in His hands to do what He’s telling you to do. And you’ll wind up being blessed for it as you see the Lord work through you to accomplish His plan.

So, the next time the Lord places something on your heart that He wants you to do, don’t start making a list of the reasons why it can’t be done. If He’s truly directing you — and make sure He is — then He’ll make a way for you to have success in what He’s telling you to do. Don’t put yourself in the position of saying no to God. If Jesus tells you to do something, you do it!