Don’t you love/hate it when you wake up at 1:30 in the morning
feeling inspired, but unable to go back to sleep until you get all the thoughts
out of your head and down on paper. That
is what happened to me this morning.
Yesterday, a friend of mine shared a blog post on facebook that had me
doing some introspection and much pondering.
The blog article was this http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/gays-religious-traditionalists-and-the-feeling-of-being-under-siege/389694/?utm_source=btn-facebook-control.
It discussed empathy between the LGBT+
community and “religious traditionalist.”
The more I pondered on the empathy idea, the more I felt that if any two groups should have empathy for one another it is these two
groups. We’ve all been in darkness
because of sin and felt the loneliness and sorrow that comes with it. Not only that, but persecution is not new for
either group and too often there has been physical hurt along with the
emotional, mental, and economical pain suffered by both. These two groups have actually walked in each
other shoes and should therefore, be understanding and empathetic to each
other. Yet, and unfortunately, some of those belonging to these two groups are caught in an eye for an eye cycle of persecution, instead of living the golden rule. In situations like these, where
there seems to be an impasse, the question always comes to the mind of the
follower of Christ: What would Jesus do?
To both of these groups along with everyone in between I
would say that Christ’s actions and words were and are always intended to lift,
comfort, bless, and rescue all of the children of God. He would show love, be compassionate, serve,
and heal according to the faith of the receiver.
He would teach a higher, nobler, and holier way. We know what Christ would say because we have
His words and teachings today. “Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy
laden and I will give you rest, take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am
meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden light
(Matthew 11: 28-30, King James Version of the Holy Bible). “Whosoever will come after me, let
him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Mark
8:34, JKV). “Peace I leave with you, my
peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it
be afraid” (John 14:27, KJV). “These
things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but
be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16: 33, KJV). “For God so loved the world that he gave his
Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life. For God sent not his
Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might
be saved” (John 3: 16-17, KJV). “Neither
do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more (John 8: 11, KJV). “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all that
they might not suffer if they would repent…. Which suffering caused myself,
even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed from
every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink
the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook
and finished my preparations unto the children of men” (Doctrine and Covenants
19: 16, 18-19).
“And this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the
Father hath given unto me; and I bear record of the Father, and the Father
beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me;
and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and
believe” (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 11: 32).
And they shall believe in me, that I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
and shall pray unto the Father in my name” (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 20: 31).
Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, along with the prophets of old and the prophets today, send invitations to all men everywhere to come and partake of eternal life: believe, repent, be baptized by authority given from God, and endure to the end
and receive eternal life. This is the
message true followers of Christ want all men to hear.
“And now, my beloved brethren [and sisters]… and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ…. And if ye shall believe in Christ ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ” (2 Nephi 33: 10). “Yeah come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind, and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God” (Moroni 10:32). In the name of Jesus Christ amen.
