Today is the 3rd Annual LDS Writers Blogfest! It's really cool for me simply because I've participated from the beginning. I guess three years isn't all that, but image how cool it will be at ten or twenty years?
Anyway, this year was left wide open for me to write about whatever I wanted. I don't do well without rules to
As I've pondered what to talk about today, this one talk from our General Conference kept coming to mind. Granted it has been in everyone's conversation the last week, but there is a different part of the talk I want to highlight.
Even with all my sins, the one thing I've been fairly good at is loving others. I'm a people person so that isn't hard. One of the things I have a hard time understanding is how people can be so vicious to one another. None of us are perfect, so why do we beat each other up about it? This is what Elder Uchtdorf had to say about it.
This topic of judging others could actually be taught in a two-word sermon. When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following:That bumper sticker can be tweaked to fit any situation:
Stop it!
It’s that simple. We simply have to stop judging others and replace judgmental thoughts and feelings with a heart full of love for God and His children. God is our Father. We are His children. We are all brothers and sisters. I don’t know exactly how to articulate this point of not judging others with sufficient eloquence, passion, and persuasion to make it stick. I can quote scripture, I can try to expound doctrine, and I will even quote a bumper sticker I recently saw. It was attached to the back of a car whose driver appeared to be a little rough around the edges, but the words on the sticker taught an insightful lesson. It read, “Don’t judge me because I sin differently than you.”
Don't judge me because I dress differently than you.
Don't judge me because I look differently than you.
Don't judge me because I speak differently than you.
Don't judge me because I vote differently than you.
Don't judge me because I write differently than you.
Don't judge me because I believe differently than you.
One day I hope we can find it within ourselves to realize that we are all children of our Heavenly Father. He loves each and every one of us and we should do the same.
Jesus said it is easy to love those who love us; even the wicked can do that. But Jesus Christ taught a higher law. His words echo through the centuries and are meant for us today. They are meant for all who desire to be His disciples. They are meant for you and me: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”And I submit, Love those who are different than you. Diversity is a good thing. Without it this world would be boring.
Amanda Sowards
Angie Lofthouse
Ben Spendlove
Brittany Larsen
Cami Checketts
Charity Bradford
Danyelle Ferguson
Giselle Abreu
Julia Keanini
Julie Coulter Bellon
Kasey Tross
Kayeleen Hamblin
Kelly Bryson
Krista Van Dolzer
Laura Johnston
Melanie Stanford
Rachelle Christensen
Rebecca Belliston
Sierra Gardner
Stephanie Worlton
Amen to that.
ReplyDeleteI loved this talk. I think it is so easy to judge people who are different. I love it when I get reminders that show me how I need to change.
ReplyDeleteHis was one of my favorite talks. Loved it!!
ReplyDeleteThese rules could be applied to more than just writing. I wish that I could broadcast them to the whole world at once.
ReplyDeleteMe too!
DeleteAwesome post, Charity. It's cool to think that we've been at this for three years now. Here's to three--or thirty--more!
ReplyDeleteThat bumper sticker President Uchtdorf mentioned, about not judging people because they sin differently than I do, was spot-on. I must admit, I'm quick to make assumptions about people based on the way they look or talk. I push those thoughts out of my head pretty quickly, but they're there. I'd love to get to the point where I can just look at someone and see nothing more or less than a beloved child of God.
I love this analogy someone shared with me once:
DeleteWe are all learning at different paces. I may be higher on the ladder in one area than you, but you are higher in other areas. In the end it all equals out so we can never say we are better than anyone else. We simply have different experiences that have taught us different truths.
What a great post, Charity. Thank you! Stop it. That's so perfect and so easy.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I would have loved to have seen that bumper sticker. I enjoyed reading your thoughts on not judging! New follower ;)
ReplyDeleteHi Lo! Nice to meet you.
DeleteNice to have found you with the blogfest! Ever since I heard that talk I always joke that I've been giving my kids prophetic counsel for years without even knowing it- I must tell them to "STOP IT!" at least 10 times a day! I think President Uchtdorf's words can benefit all of us, and I really appreciate your thoughts on this.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, if you haven't visited us over at Mormon Mommy Writers yet, we'd love to have you stop by! :-)
If only our kids could see how prophetic we've been! I should head over to Mormon Mommy Writers. I might have visited a long time ago, but I need to find a solid group to hang with. ;)
DeleteGreat post, Charity. I agree. It's easy to judge someone without really knowing much about them. It goes back to the Golden Rule. I wouldn't want someone to judge me, so I better not judge someone else.
ReplyDeleteSo true. It reminds me of one of my other favorite phrases:
Delete"We have more in common than we ever choose to see."
I love this Charity!! Thanks for making me think :) I love that you call it the "Stop it" talk :)
ReplyDeleteInspiring post, great talk! And you can never go wrong by putting a picture of Elder Uchtdorf on your blog.
ReplyDeleteI know! Between his good looks, accent, and tendency to talk about fairy tales I'm smitten. :)
DeleteThanks Charity! I loved this talk. It's so easy to excuse ourselves since we know all the reasons we have/haven't been doing X,Y, and Z. Wouldn't it be nice if we could just allow people the respect of assuming that they're doing the best they can, too, and they have their own reasons as well? I think writing villains under this assumption has helped me to be a little more charitable. But you're probably charitable all the time:) Nice to visit with you:)
ReplyDeleteI chose this talk too- it was awesome. And I love that bumper sticker. It's a great reminder that we all make mistakes, and we shouldn't judge others for theirs. Great post.
ReplyDeleteSuch an awesome talk. It's so important not to judge, as I've had to learn the hard way!
ReplyDelete