"And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation."
3 Nephi 18:25
This verse is from Christ's visit to the Nephites, and it struck me today I think because my mind is still on the whole Zion ideal. We're often way too exclusive in the way we treat people. We choose certain people to hang out with or to be our friends, and others we don't really care about... and sometimes, unfortunately, even though someone really wants to be around us, we drive them away, not wanting their company, or not valuing their friendship.
We don't just do this as individuals... we do it as institutions and as countries and as societies, deciding who is good enough and who isn't. And Christ is saying here that we shouldn't be like that. We should be inclusive, welcoming people, helping them, teaching them: giving people space to repent, helping them to find a good way.
As we build a Zion society, we can't afford to leave anyone behind. We're all part of it, and all types and kinds of people will be there. Today, let's reach inside and switch our social selves from exclusivity to inclusivity. Let's give time to people that we normally wouldn't. Let's worry less about our time and our minor-stress levels and more about how we're affecting other people. Who knows... maybe we'll learn something and stretch our comfort zones and our souls a little. :)
3 Nephi 18:25
This verse is from Christ's visit to the Nephites, and it struck me today I think because my mind is still on the whole Zion ideal. We're often way too exclusive in the way we treat people. We choose certain people to hang out with or to be our friends, and others we don't really care about... and sometimes, unfortunately, even though someone really wants to be around us, we drive them away, not wanting their company, or not valuing their friendship.
We don't just do this as individuals... we do it as institutions and as countries and as societies, deciding who is good enough and who isn't. And Christ is saying here that we shouldn't be like that. We should be inclusive, welcoming people, helping them, teaching them: giving people space to repent, helping them to find a good way.
As we build a Zion society, we can't afford to leave anyone behind. We're all part of it, and all types and kinds of people will be there. Today, let's reach inside and switch our social selves from exclusivity to inclusivity. Let's give time to people that we normally wouldn't. Let's worry less about our time and our minor-stress levels and more about how we're affecting other people. Who knows... maybe we'll learn something and stretch our comfort zones and our souls a little. :)
I like this very much, thank you! was looking for online thoughts as to what this means and found your valuable input.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked it.
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