RELATIONSHIPS

Like so many other things in my life I was pretty late getting to the party, but I am extremely grateful that I finally arrived. I am grateful that I have lived with the understanding of the importance of relationships as the top priority in our eternal existence for the last few decades of my life, but somewhat saddened that it took me so long to begin to comprehend and practice what the Savoir was saying when he taught that all the laws and commandments can be condensed into Loving God with all our heart, mind and soul and our neighbor as our selves.

You would probably be well served if I were to leave off writing and just let you ponder on the words of the Lord, but then I would be left wanting, because the process of expressing myself with the written word has become an important part of my personal pondering regimen.

Let me begin corrupting the Savior’s simple formula by multiplying the two categories by three and coming up with 6 areas where our relationships are constantly being tested. Although there is no hierarchy of order other than our relationship with God being paramount, my wandering wondering has led me to present my six categories in the following order.

Relationships with Governments

During the same decades when I have come to consider the commandments and counsel of the Lord on relationships as paramount, as some of you who follow some of my tidbits on Face Book know I have proclaimed to be a charter member of The Non Political Party Party (N3P) which strives to treat all other parties with equal disdain. In this Thought I wish to put my usual Non Political Party Party (N3P) rantings aside and try to list some ways in which I believe the Lord would counsel us to relate with those government institutions we interact with.

We should promote and support governments which strive to establish peace.

We should promote and support governments which strive to establish personal freedoms.

We should promote and support governments which strive to establish the welfare of the populous.

We should promote and support governments which strive to establish and protect the rights of all citizens.

We should seek and place good people to sit in the seats of governance.

We should seek to establish those who govern people who view governing as a service rather than a career.

We should support civil servants who believe in serving rather than those who demand to be served.

We should be leery of trying to solve the problems of governments by instituting more levels of governance.

We should be comforted that bad governments based on the desires for power, wealth and servitude, historically have short shelf lives.

In the end, all people usually are governed by the amount of government they are willing to abide.

Relationships with Church (es)

Since a fundamental belief of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is that all men should have the right to worship All Mighty God as they wish, any and all relationships we might develop within the confines of church congregations must gain extension in our relationships with all church congregants.

Although many wonderful and dispensational changing revelatory experiences begin with one person communing with God, the great majority of Heavenly Father’s children will experience the profound life changing influences of spirituality though the synergistic strength which comes from worshiping with others.

Our relationship with neighbors should never be constrained or maintained because of chosen religious membership.

When investigating the foundational beliefs of a church other than your own, it would always be wise to read supportive rather than denigrating sources. It would also be wise to speak to members of churches who are actively engaged rather than those who have chosen another path.

We should be genuine about seeking others to join with our chosen way of worshiping God, always seeking to help them find greater joy and not for our own aggrandizement.

I must remember that none of us are at the same level of belief at any given moment, which understanding should become the standard of all my judgements and treatments of others whether they share my church affiliation or not.

We should seek to develop the deep quiet commitment which defines the hallmark of one who is anxiously engaged in living their chosen beliefs.

Relationships with Neighbors

Since the Savior said that love of neighbors, without giving exceptions or exclusions, had a dual rank with love of God, in His formula for living all the laws and commandments, I believe it would be well for us to give more than casual lip service and occasional thought about our relationships with our neighbors.

If we are admonished to keep the commandments with all our thoughts, words and actions, it appears that a now and then good deed is but a beginning in loving our neighbors.

As with most commandments, loving one’s neighbor is more of an attitude than constant action.

I can test the love I have for my neighbor by how few negative words it takes for me to begin to feel and think less of them.

I can test the love I have for my neighbor by counting the frequency I offer words in their defense when others are speaking negatively of them.

Beginning my relationships upon a foundation of trust will more likely result in a loving friend than throwing up walls of suspicion.

If I want to be successful in loving my neighbor, counsel should only be given when requested and constructive criticism should be viewed as an oxymoronic idea.

Inclusiveness will always be an important tenant of relationships with neighbors. The moment we give ourselves permission to exclude someone, we have deviated from the Savior’s formula.

Relationship with Family

All relationship principles which apply to loving our neighbor become important on an increased scale of adherence when applied to the family, since familial relationships usually have longevity and constancy which does not exist with most of our neighbor relationships.

Although the counsel on inclusiveness applies to families, there will always be certain relationships which supersede others. We do remember whom the Father said we should cling unto.

We should strive with all our might to avoid the trends of the world which tend to minimize the importance the family plays in establishing foundations for mortal and eternal lives.

We should all strive to avoid the duel demons of selfishness and entitlement which lead to dysfunctional and eventual destruction of family relationships.

Although families are founded on a hierarchal relationship of parent to child, that order should never be used as a weapon to dishonor agency.

As with all relationships, the familial type should be founded on the understanding that with agency comes the opportunity to make wrong choices, but we must guard against allowing wrong choices to hamper our degree of love for one another.

Relationship with Self

Although I have enlisted several mottos of motivation in life they all seem to come down to one stark realization that life was meant to be made up of positive progressive passages.

Fixating on past errors will never be as effective in promoting progression as identifying, planning and implementing areas of needed improvement.

We should ponder our trials of adversity which we went through because of our own agency or another’s thoughtlessness, identify the lesson which was meant to be learned and then make sure we avoid these hindrances to our progress in the future.

We should never forget that we are continually in the process of becoming and therefore strive to put on the characteristics of the person we would like to be eternally.

We must never fall into the trap of thinking that today’s darkness will prevent tomorrow’s dawn from coming.

We must always remember that everyone does not seek to help you become all you can become; therefore, there are some who should be identified as a wolf hiding beneath sheep’s clothing.

We should cherish the gift of agency which our Father has given us and thereby avoid all forms of addiction which might destroy our ability to properly use this divine gift.

We should be grateful for whatever capacity we have to work, and perform all our labors with thankfulness.

We must go forward with the hope that the more faithful we are the clearer our view of things which matter most will become.

Relationship with God

If I do not remember it myself, I will be reminded often on the path of life, that this is the first and great commandment to love God with all my heart.

I must remember and never forget that humility will always be measured by where I put myself in relationship to God.

Reverence for God should be a continual attitude not just when I find myself on my knees.

I will rarely find my relationship with God being strengthened when I am surrounded by darkness.

I must never try to reinvent the plan leading to joy which has been eternally proven.

I must try to avoid being too frequently reminded that consequences result from choices made.

I must never fall into the trap of believing the little which has been asked of me is too much to bear.

I should be wise enough seek for and then yield to the wisdom of the spirit which resides in my physical body which has already proven itself worthy to be added upon.

I must consciously be aware of those moments of true discipleship and the joy which attends them, so that I might have the wisdom to be more constant in my devotion.

I must never let the load of today derail my desire to draw closer to the Lord.

When I feel the joy of momentarily having my love of God reciprocated, I must guard it safely in the storehouse of my soul and be filled with the desire to more frequently have it attend me.

OR

Matthew 22: 36-40

Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY
EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY