February 18–24
Matthew 5; Luke 6
“Blessed Are Ye”
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
Matthew 5:1–12; Luke 6:20–26
Lasting happiness comes from
living the way Jesus Christ taught.
What do
you learn about obtaining lasting happiness from Matthew 5:1–12 and Luke
6:20–26?
My
Thoughts:
I find it interesting that people “came up” to Him to hear
what He was going to say as opposed to when Moses received the law and “brought
it down” to the people.
The group listening to Jesus was not the masses, these were
His select disciples. I look at this as a Leadership training meeting for the
12 and a select few others.
Just as the Law of Moses directed people “How to behave” Christ’s
new law teaches us how to think, act and become.
The beatitudes are a path on how to achieve a oneness with
the spirit and keep it in our lives.
What Others have
said:
Joseph F. Smith
"Read the Sermon on the Mount, and then ask yourselves
whether it is beyond and above everything ever taught by man. It confirms me in
the belief that Jesus was not merely a man, but that He was God manifest in the
flesh. It is the doctrine of eternal life, by which if a man shall live he
shall never die; by which if he shall walk he shall walk in pleasant paths; and
by which if he shall abide, he shall know the truth, and the truth will make
him free." (Collected Discourses 1886-1898, ed. by Brian Stuy, vol. 5,
Joseph F. Smith, Oct. 18, 1896
Robert J Mathews
At the beginning of the discourse the King James Version
lists nine statements, each beginning with the word blessed…The first four
beatitudes and the sixth deal with how a person feels within and about
himself…Two of the remaining beatitudes pertain tio the way one reacts to
mistreatment by others…Whereas, as noted above, the KJV account had three
distinct categories of beatitudes, the JST…introduces another: Man’s
relationship to God. This is properly placed at the beginning of the list and
consists of those beatitudes dealing with faith in God, repentance, baptism in
water, remission of sins, and reception of the Holy Ghost…Furthermore, in JST
the word and occurs at the beginning of each of the beatitudes, giving the
impression they are in a series rather than simply a collection of separate
unrelated statement“Behold the Messiah
Gordon B Hinckley
The meek and the humble are those who are teachable. They
are willing to learn. They are willing to listen to the whisperings of the
still, small voice for guidance in their lives. They place the wisdom of the
Lord above their own wisdom
Stand A Little Taller.
Richard G Scott
I witness that “remission of sins [through the Atonement]
bringth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness
of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with
hope and perfect love.” I testify that God, your Eternal Father, loves you. He
hears your prayers and will answer them. The Redeemer loves you and will help
you do the essential things that bring happiness now and forever. I am a
witness of Jesus Christ. I know that He lives.
Jesus Christ, Our Redeemer, Ensign May 1997
Dallin H Oaks
To be pure in heart is to achieve that condition in which
motives, desires, and attitudes are acceptable to God and consistent with the
eternal progress that is the ultimate destiny of his children…
To become pure in heart-to achieve exaltation- we must alter
our attitudes and priorities to a condition of spiritualty, we must control our
thoughts, we must reform our motives, and we must perfect our desires…
The eternal significance of action or inaction turns on the
state of mind that motivated the act of omission. Acts that seem to be good
bring blessings only when they are done with a good motive, with real and
righteous intent. Pure in Heart
Gordon B Hinckley
How godlike a quality is mercy. It cannot be legislated. It
must come from the heart. It must be stirred up from within. It is part of the
endowment each of us receives as a son or daughter of God and partaker of a
divine birthright. I plead for an effort among all of us to give greater
expression and wider latitude to this instinct which lies within us. I am
convinced that there comes a time, possibly many times, within our lives when
we might cry out for mercy on the part of others. How can we expect it unless
we have been merciful ourselves?... Mercy is of the very essence of the gospel
of Jesus Christ. The degree to which each of us is able to extend it becomes an
expression of the reality of our discipleship under Him who is our Lord and
Master. Ensign May 1990
Harold B. Lee
"May you make the Beatitudes the constitution of your
own lives and thus receive the blessedness promised therein." (Stand Ye In
Holy Places, p. 348)
How is this different from the world’s view of
happiness?
My Thoughts:
We are to become born again, to become new people in Christ.
We are no longer just water but fine
wine if you will. Here Christ is giving us the simple basic first steps on how
to have the spriit in our lives and be directed by it.
What Others have
Said:
Robert E. Wells
"To be poor in spirit means to be humble, teachable,
contrite, meek, obedient. As the Phillips Modern Translation states, the meek
are those who 'know their need for God.' To be poor in spirit is to recognize
that we are not self-sufficient spiritually (or materially, for that matter),
but rather that we are always in debt to our Heavenly Father, from who all
blessings flow. In fact, our posture before our God is as the needy, even as
beggars. President Harold B. Lee spoke on this subject in the following way:
"To be poor in spirit is to feel yourselves as the
spiritually needy, even dependent upon the Lord for your clothes, your food,
the air you breathe...It is indeed a sad thing for one, because of his wealth
or learning or worldly position, to think himself independent of this spiritual
need. [Poor in spirit] is the opposite of pride or self-conceit. To the worldly
rich it is that 'he must possess his wealth as if he possessed it not' and be
willing to say without regret, if he were suddenly to meet financial disaster,
as did Job, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of
the Lord (Job 1:21). (Stand Ye in Holy Places, pp. 343-4)" (Robert E.
Wells, The Mount and the Master, pp. 4-5
Jeffrey R. Holland
"...the Book of Mormon sermon added the phrase 'who
come unto me...' Obviously in the 3 Nephi rendering, being poor in spirit is
not in itself a virtue, but it will be so if such humility brings one to claim
the blessings of the kingdom through the waters of baptism, making covenants,
and moving toward all the promises given to covenant-making disciples. It is
significant that the phrase 'come unto me' is used at least four more times in
the twenty or so verses that follow this one." (Christ And The New
Covenant, p. 263)
Bruce R. McConkie
"If there is a blessing, there must needs be a cursing.
There can be no light without darkness, no good without evil, no blessed
heights of glory and honor unless there are also cursed depths of despair and
damnation.
"If the pure in heart shall see God, those whose hearts
are impure shall be shut out of his presence. If the peacemakers shall be
called the children of God, those who foment war shall be the children of
Lucifer their father. If those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall
be filled with the Holy Ghost, those whose appetites are fed on carnal and evil
food shall be filled with a worldly spirit that breeds evil deeds. And so on
with reference to all of the Beatitudes. All things have their opposites, and
there must needs be an opposition in all things." (The Mortal Messiah:
From Bethlehem to Calvary, 4 vols. [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co.,
1979-1981], 2: 126.)
What
questions or impressions come to your mind as you read each verse?
We are to be different. It is very clear that the world
today would have us be in direct opposition to this way of being. The world,
and thus Satan, teaches us to not think of others, to only think of ourselves
and to by no means be close to the spirit or the Master.
What do
these verses teach you about being a disciple of Jesus Christ?
My Thoughts:
We are to be different.
What Others have said:
Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Discipleship is the pursuit of holiness and happiness. It is
the path to our best and happiest self. “Of Regrets and Resolutions “President Dieter
F. Uchtdorf Oct 2012
Quentin L. Cook
The Prophet Joseph pointed out that before your baptism, you
could be on neutral ground between good and evil. But “when you joined this
Church you enlisted to serve God. When you did that you left the neutral ground,
and you never can [go] back.” His counsel was that we must never forsake the
Master. October 2012 General
Conference
Robert E. Wells
"How many people strive for higher spiritual levels as
though they truly hungered and thirsted after them? To hunger and thirst for
something involves strife, struggles, work, sacrifice, and a host of other
efforts...Perhaps you have heard the story of the philosopher who held a young
disciple's head under water until the latter gasped for air. The philosopher
then told the disciple, 'When you want knowledge as much as you wanted air
while you were under water, you are ready to study with me.'
"The highest blessings of the gospel are not for the
faint-hearted, coolly rational, theoretical philosopher, nor for the person who
is merely intellectually curious. Those great blessings are reserved for
stouthearted souls who hunger and thirst for greater personal righteousness and
who are willing to pay the price to achieve it.
"...The blessings promised are immeasurable. Remember
the woman of Samaria at the well? The Savior told her (and this applies to all
of us), 'Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never
thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water
springing up into everlasting life...He that cometh to me shall never hunger;
and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.' (Jn 4:14; 6:35)" (The
Mount and the Master, pp. 42-3)
Bruce R. McConkie
"Filled with the Holy Ghost! As starving men crave a
crust of bread, as choking men thirst for water, so do the righteous yearn for
the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is a Revelator: he is a Sanctifier; he reveals
truth, and he cleanses human souls. He is the Spirit of Truth, and his baptism
is one of fire; he burns dross and evil out of repentant souls as though by
fire. The gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest of all the gifts of God, as
pertaining to this life; and those who enjoy that gift here and now, will
inherit eternal life hereafter, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God
in eternity." (The Mortal Messiah, Book 2, p. 122)
Dallin H. Oaks
"The issue is not what we have done but what we have
become. And what we have become is the result of more than our actions. It is
also the result of our attitudes, our motives, and our desires. Each of these
is an ingredient of the pure heart...To become pure in heart--to achieve
exaltation--we must alter our attitudes and priorities to a condition of
spirituality, we must control our thoughts, we must reform our motives, and we
must perfect our desires." (Pure in Heart, pp. 39-40 as taken from The
Mount and the Master, by Robert E. Wells, p. 79)
Harold B. Lee
"To be persecuted for righteousness' sake in a great
cause where truth and virtue and honor are at stake is God-like. Always there
have been martyrs to every great cause. The great harm that may come from
persecution is not from the persecution itself but from the possible effect it
may have upon the persecuted who may thereby be deterred in their zeal for the
righteousness of their cause. Much of that persecution comes from lack of
understanding, for men are prone to oppose that which they do not comprehend.
Some of it comes from men intent upon evil. But from whatever cause,
persecution seems to be so universal against those engaged in a righteous cause
that the Master warns us, 'Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you!
for so did their fathers to the false prophets.' (Luke 6:26.)
"May youth everywhere remember that warning when you
are hissed and scoffed at because you refuse to compromise your standards of
abstinence, honesty, and morality in order to win the applause of the crowd. If
you stand firmly for the right, despite the jeers of the crowd or even physical
violence, you shall be crowned with the blessedness of eternal joy. Who knows
but that again in our day some of the saints or even apostles, as in former
days, may be required to give their lives in defense of the truth. If that time
should come, God grant they will not fail." (Stand Ye In Holy Places, p.
348)
Neal A. Maxwell
"The straight and narrow is the path of perspiration
and is too arduous to be free from adversity. There are many ways in which the
disciple can suffer as a Christian, and for righteousness' sake. Practical,
perceptive Peter said, 'For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your
faults, ye shall take it patiently? But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it,
ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.' (1 Peter 2:20. Italics
added.)
"...those who have suffered most, and for the right
reasons, will have stretched their capacity for joy and happiness.
"Peter says, 'If ye be reproached for the name of
Christ, happy are ye, . . . but let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a
thief. . . .' (1 Peter 4:14) To 'suffer as a Christian' or for 'righteousness'
sake' is a consequence to be considered as separate and apart from the
self-inflicted misery that too often grows out of our failures to be
Christian." (A Time To Choose, p. 43
What do
you feel inspired to do to develop the qualities described in these verses?
My Thoughts:
Matthew 5:13
Why did
the Savior compare His disciples to salt?
My Thoughts:
Salt is a basic part of life. It is part of each of us. It
is needed to live but also is need o improve things.
As salt take on whatever it is applied to and enhances that
item so to should we be able to enhance and make better whatever we apply
ourselves to and help those around us.
What Others have
said:
James E. Talmage
"Salt is the great preservative; as such it has had
practical use since very ancient times. Salt was prescribed as an essential
addition to every meat offering under the Mosaic law. Long before the time of
Christ, the use of salt had been accorded a symbolism of fidelity, hospitality,
and covenant. To be of use salt must be pure; to be of any saving virtue as
salt, it must be salt indeed, and not the product of chemical alteration or of
earthy admixture, whereby its saltiness or 'savor' would be lost; and, as
worthless stuff, it would be fit only to be thrown away. Against such change of
faith, against such admixture with the sophistries, so-called philosophies, and
heresies of the times, the disciples were especially warned." (Jesus the
Christ, p. 232)
Carlos E. Asay
"How many times have we read, or heard others read,
this scripture? Yet, do we understand fully the 'salt of the earth' message?
Are we conversant with the analogy? Are we responding properly to its
implications?
"...When the Lord used the expression 'savor of men,'
he was speaking of those who represent him. He was referring to those who have
repented, who have been washed clean in the waters of baptism, and who have
covenanted to take upon them his name and his cause. Moreover, he was speaking
of those who would share by covenant his priesthood power. He was speaking of
you and me.
"A world-renowned chemist told me that salt will not
lose its savor with age. Savor is lost through mixture and contamination.
Similarly, priesthood power does not dissipate with age; it, too, is lost
through mixture and contamination. When a young man or older man mixes his
thoughts with graphic literature, he suffers a loss of savor. When a priesthood
bearer mixes his speech with lies or profanity, he suffers a loss of savor.
When one of us follows the crowd and becomes involved in immoral acts and the
use of drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and other injurious substances, he loses savor.
"...I pray that all of us will appreciate more
perfectly the words of the Savior: 'Ye are the salt of the earth.' I pray that
we will carry this designation faithfully and honorably." (Conference
Report, Apr. 1980)
Delbert Stapley
"One of the best compliments an individual can say of
another is that he or she is the 'salt of the earth.' It is most meaningful and
suggests unquestioned Christlike character and conduct, uprightness, honesty,
spirituality, sincerity of purpose, dignity, and other noble character virtues
and qualities patterned after the divine nature of our Heavenly Father."
(Conference Report, Oct. 1964, p. 65)
Matthew 5:17–48; Luke 6:27–35
The law of Christ supersedes the law of Moses.
For
example, what did Jesus teach in Matthew 5:27–28 about our responsibility over
our thoughts?
My Thoughts:
We are in control of our thoughts or we are not. If we are
not in control then who is? S
What Others have said:
Spencer W Kimball
Every sin is preceded by a sinful thought which is preceded
by a sinful desire. Desires, then, become the defining characteristic of one's
spiritual integrity. However, concerning some sins, the Law of Moses restricted
one's action but said nothing of one's thoughts or desires. The higher law
teaches that evil thoughts and desires are just as destructive. Therefore the
anger which encourages the premeditation which prompts the murder must be
proscribed. The lust which encourages the sensual thought which prompts the
adulterous act must be avoided. It's no longer a law of "Thou shalt not do
this, but you can think whatever you want!" The new law warned against evil
thoughts and desires. Alma was ahead of his time when he counseled, yea, let
thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be
placed upon the Lord forever (Alma 37:37). James Allen said
"A man does not come to the almshouse or the jail by
the tyranny of fate or circumstance, but by the pathway of groveling thoughts
and base desires. Nor does a pure-minded man fall suddenly into crime by stress
of mere external force; the criminal thought had long been secretly fostered in
the heart, and the hour of opportunity revealed its gathered power.
Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself." (As a Man
Thinketh as taken from The Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 105)
Neal A. Maxwell
"Further, the presence of the Holy Ghost in one's life,
insofar as it reshapes our desires and our appetites, can move us from a
position in which, at first, we wisely avoid temptations, to a point finally
from which the things alien to the Spirit of God are diminished in their
attractiveness. Just as what is at first a duty can later become a delight, so
the dangerous things for which we may now hunger can be replaced by desires for
things that are not only harmless, but that will also help us." (That My
Family Should Partake, p. 83 - 84)
David O. McKay
"The greatest battles in life are fought within the
silent chambers of the soul." (Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon
compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 415)
Spencer W. Kimball
"Each person must keep himself clean and free from lusts...He
must shun ugly, polluted thoughts and acts as he would an enemy. Pornographic
and erotic stories and pictures are worse than polluted food. Shun them. The
body has power to rid itself of sickening food. The person who entertains
filthy stories or pornographic pictures and literature records them in his
marvelous human computer, the brain, which can't forget such filth. Once
recorded, it will always remain there, subject to recall." (Ensign, July
1978, pp. 3-7 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon
compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 335)
How can
you gain more control over the thoughts that come into your mind and heart?
(see D&C 121:45).
What your eye lingers on is what comes into your soul. What
your ears listen to becomes part of you. Constant attention needs to be given
to what we do when there is nothing else to do. The music, the shows the
company we keep all can help or hinder the spirit.
Matthew 5:48
Does
Heavenly Father really expect me to be perfect?
My Thoughts:
Simply put…Yes He does expect us to become perfect. The key
word is become. It is a process.
What Others have
said:
Jeffrey R. Holland
Have you noticed that every now and then a passage will
appear that reminds us we are falling a little short? For example, the Sermon
on the Mount begins with soothing, gentle beatitudes, but in the verses that
follow, we are told—among other things—not only not to kill but also not even
to be angry. We are told not only not to commit adultery but also not even to
have impure thoughts. To those who ask for it, we are to give our coat and then
give our cloak also. We are to love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and
do good to them who hate us.
If that is your morning scripture study, and after reading
just that far you are pretty certain you are not going to get good marks on
your gospel report card, then the final commandment in the chain is sure to
finish the job: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father … in heaven is
perfect.” With that concluding imperative, we want to go back to bed and pull
the covers over our head. Such celestial goals seem beyond our reach. Yet
surely the Lord would never give us a commandment He knew we could not keep.
Let’s see where this quandary takes us. (2017-10 Be ye therefore perfect eventually)
Bruce R. McConkie
"Finite perfection may be gained by the righteous
saints in this life. It consists in living a godfearing life of devotion to the
truth, of walking in complete submission to the will of the Lord, and of
putting first in one's life the things of the kingdom of God. Infinite
perfection is reserved for those who overcome all things and inherit the
fullness of the Father in the mansions hereafter. It consists in gaining
eternal life, the kind of life which God has in the highest heaven within the
celestial world." (Mormon Doctrine, p. 567)
Jeffrey R. Holland
Around the Church I hear many who struggle with this issue:
“I am just not good enough.” “I fall so far short.” “I will never measure up.”
I hear this from teenagers. I hear it from missionaries. I hear it from new
converts. I hear it from lifelong members. One insightful Latter-day Saint,
Sister Darla Isackson, has observed that Satan has somehow managed to make
covenants and commandments seem like curses and condemnations. For some he has
turned the ideals and inspiration of the gospel into self-loathing and
misery-making.
What I now say in no way denies or diminishes any
commandment God has ever given us. I believe in His perfection, and I know we
are His spiritual sons and daughters with divine potential to become as He is.
I also know that, as children of God, we should not demean or vilify ourselves,
as if beating up on ourselves is somehow going to make us the person God wants
us to become.
So I believe that Jesus did not intend His sermon on this
subject to be a verbal hammer for battering us about our shortcomings. No, I
believe He intended it to be a tribute to who and what God the Eternal Father
is and what we can achieve with Him in eternity. In any case, I am grateful to
know that in spite of my imperfections, at least God is perfect
Brothers and sisters, every one of us aspires to a more
Christlike life than we often succeed in living. If we admit that honestly and
are trying to improve, we are not hypocrites; we are human. May we refuse to
let our own mortal follies, and the inevitable shortcomings of even the best
men and women around us, make us cynical about the truths of the gospel, the
truthfulness of the Church, our hope for our future, or the possibility of
godliness. If we persevere, then somewhere in eternity our refinement will be
finished and complete—which is the New Testament meaning of perfection.
(https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/10/be-ye-therefore-perfect-eventually?lang=eng)
Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening
Matthew 5:1–9
Which
principles taught in Matthew 5:1–9 could help your home be a happier place
What
goals can you set? How will you follow up?
Matthew 5:14–16
What
did Jesus mean when He said, “Ye are the light of the world”? (Matthew 5:14).
My Thoughts:
What Others have
said:
Bruce R McConkie
If the Saints lose their seasoning power and no longer set
examples of good works, they are thenceforth as other worldly people to whom
salvation is denied. The saints are as a city set on a hill that is open to the
view of all. Their good works lead others to the truth and to glorify their
Creator, their Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit who testifies of all things
The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary
Gordon B. Hinckley
"I wish to say that none of us ever need hesitate to
speak up for this Church, for its doctrine, for its people, for its divine
organization and divinely given responsibility. It is true. It is the work of
God. The only things that can ever embarrass this work are acts of disobedience
to its doctrine and standards by those of its membership. That places upon each
of us a tremendous responsibility. This work will be judged by what the world
sees of our behavior. God give us the will to walk with faith, the discipline
to do what is right at all times and in all circumstances, the resolution to
make of our lives a declaration of this cause before all who see us. (Ensign,
November 1996, p. 51.)
Franklin D. Richards
"Our light should not be hid under the bed or under a
bushel, but it ought to be lit up here in these mountains, and it has got to
shine so that this whole nation shall see it. And all nations must see and have
a chance of accepting or rejecting the Gospel. We must fraternize with them, as
far as is right and proper, so that we may show them the excellency there is in
the knowledge of God...
"Now, then, we ought to understand that our labors and
our conduct individually and collectively are open before the world, our
conduct and attitude as a people before the nation, should be according to the
dignity of our position, that the nations of the earth may see and know we are
true to our God, to our professions of faith, and that we are honestly pushing
forward the kingdom of God. This should be the spirit of the whole people. We
should be ready to make any sacrifice, and discharge every obligation necessary
for the advancement of His kingdom." (Collected Discourses, Vol.1,
Franklin D. Richards, April 8, 1888)
Eldred G. Smith
"Today, my brothers and sisters, that command is
directed to us. We have received a light and knowledge that was given to the
disciples of old. It is our responsibility to let our light so shine until it
really reaches the ends of the earth.
"If each individual member of this entire Church would
sincerely strive to do his or her best, just think what might be accomplished.
We can spread gloom around us, we can spread good cheer, or we can be such an
example of righteousness that others will want to follow the pattern of our
lives. A chain reaction goes on that is endless in its effects. When a
knowledge of the divinity of the gospel is given to you, you can pass it on to
others. If you are living the gospel, they will hear your testimony. Remember
the saying: 'How can I hear what you are saying, when what you are is ringing
so loudly in my ears?'" (Conference Report, Oct. 1951, p. 81)
Who has
been like a light for our family? How can we be a light to others? (see D&C
103:9–10).
Matthew 5:43–44
Why
does the Lord want us to pray for those who have been unkind to us?
My Thoughts:
If we truly care about those we pray for then our attitudes
changes and I believe theirs does as well.
We need to be the “bigger person” and not let contention or
anger cloud our souls. We truly do not know the whys of every person and what
makes them act like they do. But we can control what I makes us do.
What Others have
said:
George Q. Cannon
"To conquer by kindness is the greatest victory to be
had. We should right all wrongs by kindness, and show those with whom we are
associated that our love is broad enough to forgive them and that we have
charity for their weaknesses. We ought to attain to this. We cannot go to God
till we do." (Collected Discourses 1886-1898, ed. by Brian Stuy, vol. 2,
George Q. Cannon, Feb. 1, 1891)
Joseph Smith
"Those who cannot endure persecution, and stand in the
day of affliction, cannot stand in the day when the Son of God shall burst the
veil, and appear in all the glory of His Father, with all the holy
angels." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 42)
Gordon B. Hinckley
"There is much of another category of sickness among
us. I speak of conflicts, quarrels, arguments which are a debilitating disease
particularly afflicting families. If there be such problems in the homes of any
within the sound of my voice, I encourage you to invite the healing power of
Christ. To those to whom He spoke on the Mount, Jesus said:
'Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye,
and a tooth for a tooth:
'But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever
shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. ...
'And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him
twain.' (Matt. 5:38-41.)
"The application of this principle, difficult to live
but wondrous in its curative powers, would have a miraculous effect on our
troubled homes. It is selfishness which is the cause of most of our misery. It
is as a cankering disease. The healing power of Christ, found in the doctrine
of going the second mile, would do wonders to still argument and accusation,
fault-finding and evil speaking." (Conference Report, Oct. 1988)
Spencer W. Kimball
"Why does the Lord ask you to love your enemies and to
return good for evil? That you might have the benefit of it. It does not injure
the one you hate so much when you hate a person...but the hate and the
bitterness canker your unforgiving heart." (Faith Precedes The Miracle, p.
191)
Ezra Taft Benson
"Yes, the Lord Jesus Christ liberated man from the
world, by the pure gospel of love. He demonstrated that man, through a love of
God, and through kindness and charity to his fellows, could achieve his highest
potential...His charge to return good for evil is still the greatest challenge
to the mind of man. At the same time it is man's greatest weapon."(So
Shall Ye Reap, p. 6)
Howard W. Hunter
"Think what this admonition alone would do in your
neighborhood and mine, in the communities in which you and your children live,
in the nations which make up our great global family. I realize this doctrine
poses a significant challenge, but surely it is a more agreeable challenge than
the terrible tasks posed for us by the war and poverty and pain the world
continues to face.
"How are we supposed to act when we are offended,
misunderstood, unfairly or unkindly treated, or sinned against? What are we
supposed to do if we are hurt by those we love, or are passed over for
promotion, or are falsely accused, or have our motives unfairly assailed?
"Do we fight back? Do we send in an ever-larger
battalion? Do we revert to an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, or, as
Tevye says in Fiddler on the Roof, do we come to the realization that this
finally leaves us blind and toothless?" (Conference Report, Oct. 1992)
Gordon B. Hinckley
"It is not always easy to live by these doctrines when
our very natures impel us to fight back...Most of us have not reached that
stage of compassion and love and forgiveness. It is not easy. It requires a
self-discipline almost greater than we are capable of. But as we try, we come
to know that there is a resource of healing, that there is a mighty power of
healing in Christ, and that if we are to be his true servants, we must not only
exercise that healing power in behalf of others, but, perhaps more important,
inwardly.
"I would that the healing power of Christ might spread
over the earth and be diffused through our society and into our homes, that it
might cure men's hearts of the evil and adverse elements of greed and hate and
conflict. I believe it could happen. I believe it must happen. If the lamb is
to lie down with the lion, then peace must overcome conflict; healing must mend
injury." (Faith, The Essence of True Religion, p. 35)
No comments:
Post a Comment