I worry about a lot of things in my life. I worry about whether I have clean clothes when I need them. I worry about getting to work on time (I'm really bad at that). I worry about finishing my homework and doing well on tests and interpreting every subtle gesture from guys playing the dating game.
But the other night as I was re-reading through my patriarchal blessing, I came across something that I should be worrying more about: "Does my Spirit glorify my Heavenly Father?"
As a society today, we are caught up in the midst of so many controversial topics. You don't have to look further than Facebook or Twitter to find some political or moral debate. This week alone I've read articles about a transgender model petitioning to work for Victoria's Secret, the Biggest Loser winner losing "too much" weight, the new Common Core in education, and the Creationism vs. Evolution debate. And I found all of these without even deliberately seeking out the topics!
As members of the LDS Church, we have the opportunity to view these issues with different eyes than the rest of the world. We know about the Plan of Salvation, and we know the standard to which we will be held when we meet our Savior again one day. That perspective changes things. Knowing the morals of eternity, we can make different judgments than most of the world on issues that are controversial. Unfortunately, I think we often use that eternal perspective to feel entitled or all-knowing or maybe even just harsh as we pass judgments on the issues (and people) of the world.
I think it's in times like these when we need to ask ourselves, "Is my Spirit glorifying my Heavenly Father?"
The two greatest commandments are to love God and to love one another. Doesn't that mean that the opposite of those would be the two greatest sins? To hate God and to hate one another? I think sometimes we get so caught up in loving God that we let that love be an excuse for hating one another. We think we know the morally "right" thing to do, so anyone not doing that thing quickly becomes our opponent. We think it's okay to call names. We think it's okay to laugh at people. We think it's okay to judge them because we love God, and those people are wrong. But whether it's gay marriage or abortion or gender roles, beauty standards or evolution or health care....the outcome of each debate isn't going to be what we're held accountable for on judgement day. But the way we treated our brothers and sisters will be.
Believe what you will about moral rights and wrongs, but in the end ask yourself, "Is my Spirit glorifying my Heavenly Father?" Because I can guarantee that the only Spirit glorified to Him is the one full of love.
ADSENSE HERE
But the other night as I was re-reading through my patriarchal blessing, I came across something that I should be worrying more about: "Does my Spirit glorify my Heavenly Father?"
As a society today, we are caught up in the midst of so many controversial topics. You don't have to look further than Facebook or Twitter to find some political or moral debate. This week alone I've read articles about a transgender model petitioning to work for Victoria's Secret, the Biggest Loser winner losing "too much" weight, the new Common Core in education, and the Creationism vs. Evolution debate. And I found all of these without even deliberately seeking out the topics!
As members of the LDS Church, we have the opportunity to view these issues with different eyes than the rest of the world. We know about the Plan of Salvation, and we know the standard to which we will be held when we meet our Savior again one day. That perspective changes things. Knowing the morals of eternity, we can make different judgments than most of the world on issues that are controversial. Unfortunately, I think we often use that eternal perspective to feel entitled or all-knowing or maybe even just harsh as we pass judgments on the issues (and people) of the world.
I think it's in times like these when we need to ask ourselves, "Is my Spirit glorifying my Heavenly Father?"
The two greatest commandments are to love God and to love one another. Doesn't that mean that the opposite of those would be the two greatest sins? To hate God and to hate one another? I think sometimes we get so caught up in loving God that we let that love be an excuse for hating one another. We think we know the morally "right" thing to do, so anyone not doing that thing quickly becomes our opponent. We think it's okay to call names. We think it's okay to laugh at people. We think it's okay to judge them because we love God, and those people are wrong. But whether it's gay marriage or abortion or gender roles, beauty standards or evolution or health care....the outcome of each debate isn't going to be what we're held accountable for on judgement day. But the way we treated our brothers and sisters will be.
Believe what you will about moral rights and wrongs, but in the end ask yourself, "Is my Spirit glorifying my Heavenly Father?" Because I can guarantee that the only Spirit glorified to Him is the one full of love.
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