“And behold, ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid them not.”
This verse reminds me of a painful lesson I learned as a teenager. I’ve since repented of the offense, but the memory remains vivid. During Stake Conference, my friends and I were sitting together when a transient man—invited by someone who truly understood discipleship—came and sat in the overflow area. His appearance was rough and unfamiliar to me, and instead of showing kindness, my friends and I kept glancing back at him, mocking quietly. I had never seen anyone like him before, and sadly, I became the greater spectacle. That day, an opportunity to let my “light” shine was lost.
That experience deeply shaped my behavior in future meetings. Since then, I’ve often chosen to sit near the front of the chapel, where there are fewer distractions. Yet even that has its tradeoffs—I may miss seeing someone who could use a friendly smile or a warm welcome.
Now, whenever someone comes to church dressed differently—perhaps in worn clothes or with an unkempt beard—I remember that moment from my youth. I silently pray for forgiveness and express gratitude for the lesson it taught me. I was young, impressionable, and easily swayed by peers. I’ve spent a lifetime repenting for that small but telling act of unkindness and continue to work on not judging others.
The Lord knows the hearts of His children, and He rejoices when we draw near to Him—“Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you” (D&C 88:63; James 4:8).
No comments:
Post a Comment