"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."
I was pondering on how some see making peace as giving into what is against God's laws. Where is the middle ground? If I am to edify, then I would point people towards Christ in all that I say and do. I can be kind and peaceful as I try to be a good example of a follower of Christ. Does not mean people have to accept it, but they should know by my actions that I see them as a child of God and treat them as such. Found a good quote from President Dallin H. Oaks in the Oct 2014 General Conference talk, "Loving Others and Living with Differences".
"The early Apostles taught that we should “follow after the things [that] make for peace” and “[speak] the truth in love” “for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” In modern revelation the Lord commanded that the glad tidings of the restored gospel should be declared “every man to his neighbor, in mildness and in meekness” “with all humility, … reviling not against revilers”.
Even as we seek to be meek and to avoid contention, we must not compromise or dilute our commitment to the truths we understand. We must not surrender our positions or our values. The gospel of Jesus Christ and the covenants we have made inevitably cast us as combatants in the eternal contest between truth and error. There is no middle ground in that contest.The Savior showed the way when His adversaries confronted Him with the woman who had been “taken in adultery, in the very act” When shamed with their own hypocrisy, the accusers withdrew and left Jesus alone with the woman. He treated her with kindness by declining to condemn her at that time. But He also firmly directed her to “sin no more”. Loving-kindness is required, but a follower of Christ—just like the Master—will be firm in the truth."
Day 1633
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