Which Way Do You Face?
BY ELDER LYNN G. ROBBINS - Of the Presidency of the Seventy
READ:
Trying to please others before pleasing God is inverting the first and second great commandments.
Introduction
When I say LGBT does everyone know what I am talking about?
Tell Story about two Christmases ago when we had among 22 guests four LGBT people in our home for dinner and games. Pan sexual, gay and transexual. Q: Was it wrong for me to have invited them into my home? I personally don't think so.
SAY: I bring this story up because I sometimes think about where the line is that we don't cross.
SAY: This seems to be similar to Elder Robbins' ideas about pleasing others or pleasing God.
SAY: I also have a concern that we may believe we are pleasing God in our rigidness or liberalness when in reality we doing nothing or the sort. Without charity we offend or approve.
Learner Readiness
READ A
READ A
A - “Which way do you face?” President Boyd K. Packer surprised me with this puzzling question while we were traveling together on my very first assignment as a new Seventy. Without an explanation to put the question in context, I was baffled. “A Seventy,” he continued, “does not represent the people to the prophet but the prophet to the people. Never forget which way you face!” It was a powerful lesson.
SAY: Let's read a few scriptures Br. Robbins refers to
READ Matthew 22:37–39
B - Matthew 22:37–39
37 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.READ C 2 Nephi 8:7
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
C - 2 Nephi 8:7
D - 1 Nephi 8:25–28
Q: What are we ashamed of when it comes to the gospel and the church?
LEARNER INVOLVEMENT
7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart I have written my law, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.READ D 1 Nephi 8:25–28
D - 1 Nephi 8:25–28
25 And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.Q: What caused some of the people to drop their fruit? [they were ashamed]
26 And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.
27 And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.
28 And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.
Q: What are we ashamed of when it comes to the gospel and the church?
LEARNER INVOLVEMENT
READ E - Elder Robbins
Elder Robbins
E - This peer pressure tries to change a person’s attitudes, if not behavior, by making one feel guilty for giving offense. We seek respectful coexistence with those who point fingers, but when this fear of men tempts us to condone sin, it becomes a “snare” according to the book of Proverbs (see Proverbs 29:25). The snare may be cleverly baited to appeal to our compassionate side to tolerate or even approve of something that has been condemned by God.
SAY: Let's read F - Proverbs 29:25
F - Proverbs 29:25
Elder Robbins
E - This peer pressure tries to change a person’s attitudes, if not behavior, by making one feel guilty for giving offense. We seek respectful coexistence with those who point fingers, but when this fear of men tempts us to condone sin, it becomes a “snare” according to the book of Proverbs (see Proverbs 29:25). The snare may be cleverly baited to appeal to our compassionate side to tolerate or even approve of something that has been condemned by God.
SAY: Let's read F - Proverbs 29:25
F - Proverbs 29:25
25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
Q: What are some of the snares that Elder Robbins saying that are cleverly baited to appeal to our compassionate side to tolerate or even approve of something that has been condemned by God? [no snares?, move on]
Q: By accepting a person and not judging him or her, are we approving of their behavior?
Q: When are we snared? [condoning sin, approve of something condemned by God]
Q: What does the savior say on these matters?
Resist not = Don't contend
Agree with = Don't contend, walk away
Q: By accepting a person and not judging him or her, are we approving of their behavior?
Q: When are we snared? [condoning sin, approve of something condemned by God]
Q: What does the savior say on these matters?
Resist not = Don't contend
Agree with = Don't contend, walk away
READ G
Elder Robbins
G - While it certainly takes courage to face perils, the true badge of courage is overcoming the fear of men. For example, Daniel’s prayers helped him face lions, but what made him lionhearted was defying King Darius. That kind of courage is a gift of the Spirit to the God-fearing who have said their prayers. Queen Esther’s prayers also gave her that same courage to confront her husband, King Ahasuerus, knowing that she risked her life in doing so.
SAY : Let's read Elder Robbins examples of people who failed to do the right thing:
READ H Elder Robbins
Elder Robbins
H - Courage is not just one of the cardinal virtues, but as C. S. Lewis observed: “Courage is … the form of every virtue at the testing point. … Pilate was merciful till it became risky.”1 King Herod was sorrowful at the request to behead John the Baptist but wanted to please “them which sat with him at meat”. King Noah was ready to free Abinadi until peer pressure from his wicked priests caused him to waver. King Saul disobeyed the word of the Lord by keeping the spoils of war because he “feared the people, and obeyed their voice”. To appease rebellious Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai, Aaron crafted a golden calf, forgetting which way he faced. Many of the New Testament chief rulers “believed on [the Lord]; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God”. The scriptures are full of such examples.
SAY: Courage is the form of every virtue at the testing point.
Q: What does that mean?
Q: [If necessary] If Daniel, after he prayed, pleaded with the King not kill him, what happened at the testing point?
LEARNER APPLICATION
Appllication Question - How do we overcome the fear of man?
Q: How can we strengthen ourselves, build our character, so we can stay true?
Q: How do we face God yet not judge or condemn others?
[IF THERE IS TIME, READ THE FOLLOWING QUOTES BY ELDER ROBBINS]
READ
Prophets through the ages have always come under attack by the finger of scorn. Why? According to the scriptures, it is because “the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center” (1 Nephi 16:2), or as President Harold B. Lee observed, “The hit bird flutters!”2 Their scornful reaction is, in reality, guilt trying to reassure itself, just as with Korihor, who finally admitted, “I always knew that there was a God” (Alma 30:52). Korihor was so convincing in his deception that he came to believe his own lie (see Alma 30:53).
SAY: Perhaps we give people the benefit of the doubt too much.
READ
The scornful often accuse prophets of not living in the 21st century or of being bigoted. They attempt to persuade or even pressure the Church into lowering God’s standards to the level of their own inappropriate behavior, which in the words of Elder Neal A. Maxwell, will “develop self-contentment instead of seeking self-improvement” and repentance. Lowering the Lord’s standards to the level of a society’s inappropriate behavior is—apostasy. Many of the churches among the Nephites two centuries after the Savior’s visit to them began to “dumb down” the doctrine, borrowing a phrase from Elder Holland.
Q: Why is it apostasy to lower the Lord's standards to the level of society?
READ [about lowering our standards]
As you listen to this passage from 4 Nephi, look for parallels in our day: “And it came to pass that when two hundred and ten years had passed away there were many churches in the land; yea, there were many churches which professed to know the Christ, and yet they did deny the more parts of his gospel, insomuch that they did receive all manner of wickedness, and did administer that which was sacred unto him to whom it had been forbidden because of unworthiness” (4 Nephi 1:27).
Déjà vu in the latter days! Some members don’t realize they are falling into the same snare when they lobby for acceptance of local or ethnic “tradition[s] of their fathers” (D&C 93:39) that are not in harmony with the gospel culture. Still others, self-deceived and in self-denial, plead or demand that bishops lower the standard on temple recommends, school endorsements, or missionary applications. It isn’t easy being a bishop under that kind of pressure. However, like the Savior who cleansed the temple to defend its sanctity (see John 2:15–16), bishops today are called upon to boldly defend the temple standard. It was the Savior who said, “I will manifest myself to my people in mercy … if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house” (D&C 110:7–8).
Q: How can we strengthen ourselves, build our character, so we can stay true?
Q: How do we face God yet not judge or condemn others?
[IF THERE IS TIME, READ THE FOLLOWING QUOTES BY ELDER ROBBINS]
READ
Prophets through the ages have always come under attack by the finger of scorn. Why? According to the scriptures, it is because “the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center” (1 Nephi 16:2), or as President Harold B. Lee observed, “The hit bird flutters!”2 Their scornful reaction is, in reality, guilt trying to reassure itself, just as with Korihor, who finally admitted, “I always knew that there was a God” (Alma 30:52). Korihor was so convincing in his deception that he came to believe his own lie (see Alma 30:53).
SAY: Perhaps we give people the benefit of the doubt too much.
READ
The scornful often accuse prophets of not living in the 21st century or of being bigoted. They attempt to persuade or even pressure the Church into lowering God’s standards to the level of their own inappropriate behavior, which in the words of Elder Neal A. Maxwell, will “develop self-contentment instead of seeking self-improvement” and repentance. Lowering the Lord’s standards to the level of a society’s inappropriate behavior is—apostasy. Many of the churches among the Nephites two centuries after the Savior’s visit to them began to “dumb down” the doctrine, borrowing a phrase from Elder Holland.
Q: Why is it apostasy to lower the Lord's standards to the level of society?
READ [about lowering our standards]
As you listen to this passage from 4 Nephi, look for parallels in our day: “And it came to pass that when two hundred and ten years had passed away there were many churches in the land; yea, there were many churches which professed to know the Christ, and yet they did deny the more parts of his gospel, insomuch that they did receive all manner of wickedness, and did administer that which was sacred unto him to whom it had been forbidden because of unworthiness” (4 Nephi 1:27).
Déjà vu in the latter days! Some members don’t realize they are falling into the same snare when they lobby for acceptance of local or ethnic “tradition[s] of their fathers” (D&C 93:39) that are not in harmony with the gospel culture. Still others, self-deceived and in self-denial, plead or demand that bishops lower the standard on temple recommends, school endorsements, or missionary applications. It isn’t easy being a bishop under that kind of pressure. However, like the Savior who cleansed the temple to defend its sanctity (see John 2:15–16), bishops today are called upon to boldly defend the temple standard. It was the Savior who said, “I will manifest myself to my people in mercy … if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house” (D&C 110:7–8).
READ [about the Savior being fearless]
The Savior, the only perfect being who ever lived, was the most fearless. In His life, He was confronted by scores of accusers but never yielded to their finger of scorn. He is the only person who never once forgot which way He faced: “I do always those things that please [the Father]” (John 8:29; emphasis added), and “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30).
Conclusion
SAY: In conclusion I want to quote Elder Robbins
May [the Saviors] inspiring example strengthen us against the pitfalls of flattery from without or of conceit from within. May it give us courage to never cower or fawn at the feet of intimidation. May it inspire us to go about doing good as anonymously as possible and not “aspire to the honors of men” (D&C 121:35). And may His incomparable example help us always remember which is “the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:38). When others demand approval in defiance of God’s commandments, may we always remember whose disciples we are, and which way we face, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
The Savior, the only perfect being who ever lived, was the most fearless. In His life, He was confronted by scores of accusers but never yielded to their finger of scorn. He is the only person who never once forgot which way He faced: “I do always those things that please [the Father]” (John 8:29; emphasis added), and “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30).
Conclusion
SAY: In conclusion I want to quote Elder Robbins
May [the Saviors] inspiring example strengthen us against the pitfalls of flattery from without or of conceit from within. May it give us courage to never cower or fawn at the feet of intimidation. May it inspire us to go about doing good as anonymously as possible and not “aspire to the honors of men” (D&C 121:35). And may His incomparable example help us always remember which is “the first and great commandment” (Matthew 22:38). When others demand approval in defiance of God’s commandments, may we always remember whose disciples we are, and which way we face, is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
