Lives of Conviction

Acceptance of everyone's differing beliefs is all well and good as long as it doesn't mean that you are willing to allow everyone to go their merry ways without hearing what you believe. Our lives should be lives of conviction, conviction so strong that when we hear or see something out of place we stand up make certain it is recognized as such. Too often I have heard people say "That's fine if that's what you want to believe, but you shouldn't try to change everyone to believe as you do."

Are they correct? Should we give people their space and let them follow a path other than the one we have learned from Jesus Christ? No! If our beliefs are founded on truth then they need to hear it, they need to know it, they need to experience and understand it. My favorite response to people who tell me that they "think it is nice that I believe in Jesus but that it just isn't for them" is: "We can't both be right. One of us believes in truth, the other believes in a lie, you must decide which one is a lie based on the evidence."

I support individuality, in fact I applaud it! I seek never to let the pressures of society change me into someone I do not want to be. Stand alone if necessary (and I have often found that it is) but don't ever sacrifice your convictions. Stand by them! Let people see that you know what you believe, that you believe it with all of your soul, that you know why you believe it, and that you will accept no compromise.

We are all unique individuals with unique gifts co-existing in an imperfect world. We have the ability to lead by example to the arms of the Savior... so let's do it.