Thought for today

“It is not enough merely to speak of Jesus Christ or proclaim that we are His disciples. It is not enough to surround ourselves with symbols of our religion. Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. . . .“Ours is not a secondhand religion. We cannot receive the blessings of the gospel merely by observing the good that others do.”

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2009 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

President Gordon B Hinckley also was once asked why we don't use the cross as the symbol of our religion. His answer was:

“ ‘I do not wish to give offense to any of my Christian brethren who use the cross on the steeples of their cathedrals and at the altars of their chapels, who wear it on their vestments, and imprint it on their books and other literature. But for us, the cross is the symbol of the dying Christ, while our message is a declaration of the living Christ.’

He was then asked ‘If you do not use the cross, what is the symbol of your religion?’

His answer was:

“ the lives of our people must become the only meaningful expression of our faith and, in fact, therefore, the symbol of our worship” (“The Symbol of Christ,” New Era, Apr. 1990, p. 4).

OUR lives must let others know we are disciples of Jesus Christ! The way we are living, the way we treat others, the things we think, and say, and do, all tell people who we are. We all make mistakes, and we can repent thanks to Jesus Christ's Atonement. But generally how we conduct ourselves from day to day speaks volumes about who we are.

How do you treat your spouse, your children, your friends?

Do you hang on to old grudges, and dredge them up for ammunition each time you are angry?

It's time to STOP that!! It's time to forgive and make things right. And never hang on to arguments or wrongs you feel your spouse has done... NEVER! This life is too short and fragile to hold on to garbage... throw it away.

Treat your spouse like the king or queen they may become someday, glorified in our Fathers Kingdom. This has been on my mind a lot lately as I see friends marriages breaking up. My heart aches for all involved. There are times when there is abuse (physical and mental and emotional) going on, infidelity, breaking of covenants, and so on, when the spouse will not change; when Bishops/Church leaders, should be consulted, divorce should be considered for the childrens sake. No child should ever have to grow up being subjected to any of that, thinking it is normal...

So today, please treat those around you with love and caring, and gentleness. Go out of your way to do something wonderful for them.

And as always, HUG THE ONES YOU LOVE!! and pray for this world....



Bev
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com