Do You Drink Coffee?
Withholding Judgement
I invited a boy I met briefly on campus to hang out with me at my favorite coffee shop this week.
As we arrived and looked over the menu, he asked if I drank coffee.
I said no and asked if he did. He didn’t.
We proceeded to order smoothies and enjoyed the rest of the evening.
However, the fact he asked me that question and how he said it, stays with me.
It stays with me because of how self aware it was.
It stays with me because when he asked, I knew instinctively he wouldn’t judge me no matter my answer because that's the type of person he is.
Even though I’m sure he assumed I grew up in the Church.
Even though we both assumed the other had been taught God doesn’t want us to drink coffee.
How beautiful is that?
To see someone the same and withhold judgement, regardless of the choices they make.
The Power of Love
As Christians, we tend to hold other Christians to an extremely high standard because we are taught what is right and wrong.
When someone fails to measure up, we may judge them harsher than most because they should know better.
However, if someone is failing or making wrong choices in any aspect of their lives, why is our first reaction to judge them?
Why is our first reaction not to see them for who they are as children of God, for who they can become?
If someone is struggling, what is going to help the most?
Judging or loving them?
I’m not implying we accept and tolerate everything anyone ever does.
I’m not implying we break commandments out of love for everyone who does.
I’m not implying never to share testimony of Christ and His commandments to help others come to Him.
I am implying the power of love is what changes people.
The power of love is what heals people.
The power of love is what helps people find joy.
The Blessings of the Power of Love
We see the effect of this power in the scriptures. One of my favorite examples of it is in the Book of Mormon, Alma chapter 20.
The chapter talks about Ammon, a missionary who baptized Lamoni, the son of a king.
Lamoni's dad imprisoned Ammon's brothers.
Ammon and Lamoni go to meet and ask Lamoni’s dad, to release the brothers.
When they meet Lamoni's dad and he finds out Lamoni got got baptized, he is very angry.
He threatens to kill him.
Ammon stands up against the king and defends Lamoni.
When the king realizes he cannot overpower Ammon, he surrenders and desires to learn more about Christ's teachings.
Why did Lamoni's dad experience a change of heart?
Alma chapter 20 verse 26 gives us the answer.
“When he saw the great love [Ammon] had for his son
Lamoni, he was astonished exceedingly”
Ammon’s love was astonishing.
His love was so astonishing Lamoni’s father and his entire household decide to follow Christ and get baptized.
That is what real love can do.
That is the love we should strive to obtain and share with everyone around us.
God promises if we pray with our whole hearts for this love, He will grant it to us.
What are you waiting for?
Is your love astonishing?
If it's not, what are you going to do to change that?
*Photos courtesy of Wix & LDS.org