When faced with life's challenges,
it is Important to Remember
that although Daniel was saved from the lions,
he was not saved from the Lion's Den.


Friday, October 7, 2011

Writer's Workshop - Message On Facebook

Welcome to another fun filled week of inspiration!! Pick your poison... then jump over to Mama Kat's and join us for another week of writer's workshop fun.

This Week's Prompts

1.) Share a disagreement you're having with someone and let your readers be the judge!
2.) Tell us about your song.
3.) Share a Halloween craft.
4.) Slow dancing with boys...talk about one of your first school dance experiences.
5.) I have no idea where the following message originated from, but it's been floating around Facebook for the past week...who does it make you think about?:





So, for this prompt, I picked number five.  I know that I saw this message, not just once but several times over on facebook. There are good things and bad things about it.  I do think that too often, friendships can be way too one-sided.  It is so easy to get so caught up in what you think you want, that you forget to look at what you really need.  You get caught up in trying to please everyone else, and forgetting that a relationship is really two-sided.  You have to please yourself too.  
I am not sure that I completely agree with this statement.  I have learned, that sometimes, you have to make the effort first.  You have to be willing to put yourself out there and possibly get hurt.  It would be nice not to worry about those who don't worry about you, but there is no way that I can tell myself that following this piece of "advice" is something that would make me more like my Heavenly Father and His son.  There is no way that I can justify my own behavior because of the unkindness or lack of courtesy of someone else.  
I think we are responsible for our own behavior.  I think that even when others cannot bring themselves to do the right thing, it does not make it right for me to choose not to do the right thing.  I think we are supposed to make spaces in our heart for those who walk into our lives.  Whether they stay in our hearts might be another matter, but we have to be willing to risk and love if we want to change anything.  
Our Savior Jesus Christ said: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another. …“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

Love one another. He did not say to only love those who love you first. I think we are here to learn to become more Christlike, not to learn how to be more selfish and self-centered. I think it is important to not get distracted by what others would have you do, but only to be focused on what you should be doing. On those things that are virtuous, lovely. of good report or praiseworthy. To see after the good and the righteous in your life and to let go of the sorry and pain.
I think a true badge of honor is not what someone else thinks of us, but it is what we think of ourselves.

I want to be kind to everyone
For that is right you see.
so I say to myself, remember this,
Kindness begins with me.

When I stop worrying about what others can do for me, and make Jesus Christ the center of my life, my minutes, my hours, and my days start going better and I find myself filled with joy. Our Savior taught us about kindness and living a righteous life. He loved all, and served all, no matter what they did to Him.
President Thomas S. Monson taught us how to interact with our peers and everyone we meet when he told the young women of the Church, “My precious young sisters, I plead with you to have the courage to refrain from judging and criticizing those around you, as well as the courage to make certain everyone is included and feels loved and valued." Thomas S. Monson, “May You Have Courage,” Liahona and Ensign,May 2009, 125

2 comments:

  1. I like what you have to say here, because when I read that FB quote it just gave me an AWFUL feeling... I felt like it was a letter cleverly written by the Devil himself with some selfish propaganda cleverly disguised as self love. But I don't buy it. It just doesn't sit right with me. Self interest to the degree of selfishness will never bring happiness. Besides, real friends don't keep score...

    Thank you for sharing this with the world. That quote needed this counter argument!

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  2. I completely agree with Corine! I'm glad you chose to write on this as well. I haven't seen this one yet, but I'm sure I will at some point. You countered it perfectly.

    And thank you for the quote at the end by Pres. Monson. It's so important to have this constant reminder not to judge or criticize.

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