"And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive."
Alma 7:23
This is a good list of things that God asks us to learn. It is also kind of a hard list in some ways, because the world teaches us that many of these virtues make us weak doormats, easy to be manipulated. But just as David A. Bednar tells us that meekness is not weak, timid, or passive, so with these virtues. Humility isn't bowing and scraping or demeaning ourselves, it is being able to get out of our own heads enough to recognize God's transcendant amazingness, as well as the beauty and potential of other people. Being submissive isn't obliterating our own opinions or praising other people's ideas without any critical thinking... it is just backing off enough to be able to listen to others and recognize when they have good ideas too, instead of drowning others out with our own voices. Almost all of these things, and maybe almost all of the gospel, is God asking us to take off the blinders of our own selfishness so that we can see past our own thoughts and feelings, and really consider other people.
Today, let's try that, shall we? :)
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