A staff in the hands of a prophet isn't a weapon. It's a lightning rod to call down the blessings of heaven. When he hoists a staff, a prophet points to a source of power beyond his own.

There are many photos of President Hinckley with his cane — one on the cover of the Ensign, another where he holds his cane against his shoulder. In each, he turns a symbol of aging into a symbol of vitality and energy. Of course, he would have been the first to say his astounding resilience was not his own. It, too, came from another source.

I think of a scripture:

"By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped — leaning on his staff."

He may have leaned on his staff, but it wasn't a piece of wood that kept Jacob upright and active. His "support" came from elsewhere.

Prophets don't use their walking sticks to help them relax. They use them to make sure we never do.

Anybody who's read the Bible can see that.

Anybody who's read the Bible, or witnessed the miracle known as President Gordon B. Hinckley.

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Jerry Johnston is a Deseret Morning News staff writer. "New Harmony" appears weekly in the Mormon Times section. E-mail: jerjohn@desnews.com