Monday, April 11, 2011

Motivational Monday - "Looking for the Good"

Looking for the Good

By President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second counselor in the First Presidency
Edited from Ensign, March 2011

While looking for a new home, a young Latter-day Saint couple talked to potential neighbors about the neighborhood and the schools in the area. 

One woman they spoke to said of the school her children were attending: "This is the most incredible place! The principal is a wonderful and good man; the teachers are well qualified, kind, and friendly. I am so pleased that our children can attend this wonderful school. You'll love it here!"

A different woman said of her children's school: "It's a terrible place. The principal is self-absorbed: the teachers are unqualified, rude, and unfriendly. If I could afford to move out of this area, I'd do it in a heartbeat!"

The interesting thing was that both women were speaking about the same principal, the same teachers, and the same school.
Have you ever noticed that people can usually find whatever they are looking for? 

Look hard enough, and you can discover both good and bad in almost anyone and anything. 

People have done the same with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since its beginning. Those who look for the good will find a kind and compassionate people -- a people who love the Lord and desire to serve Him and bless the lives of their fellowman. But it is also true that those who look for the bad will certainly find things that are not so ideal.

Unfortunately, at times this happens even within the Church. There is no end to the creativity, ingenuity and tenacity of those who look for reasons to criticize. They cannot seem to release their grip on grudges. They gossip and find fault with others. They nurse wounds for decades, taking every opportunity to tear down and demean others. This is not pleasing to the Lord, "for where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work" (James 3:16).

We have a choice. We can seek for the bad in others. Or we can make peace and work to extend to others the understanding, fairness, and forgiveness we so desperately desire for ourselves. 

It is our choice: for whatever we seek, that we will certainly find. 

1 comment:

Zoey said...

It is true that if we look for something hard enough, we will find it!!! Maybe I should start looking for a million dollars!

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