President Dieter F. Uchtdorf
When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing,
holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following:
Stop it!
It’s that simple. We simply have to stop judging others and
replace judgmental thoughts and feelings with a heart full of love for God and
His children. God is our Father. We are His children. We are all brothers and
sisters. I don’t know exactly how to articulate this point of not judging
others with sufficient eloquence, passion, and persuasion to make it stick. I
can quote scripture, I can try to expound doctrine, and I will even quote a
bumper sticker I recently saw. It was attached to the back of a car whose
driver appeared to be a little rough around the edges, but the words on the
sticker taught an insightful lesson. It read, “Don’t judge me because I sin
differently than you.”
We must recognize that we are all imperfect—that we are
beggars before God. Haven’t we all, at one time or another, meekly approached
the mercy seat and pleaded for grace? Haven’t we wished with all the energy of
our souls for mercy—to be forgiven for the mistakes we have made and the sins
we have committed?
Because we all depend on the mercy of God, how can we deny
to others any measure of the grace we so desperately desire for ourselves? My
beloved brothers and sisters, should we not forgive as we wish to be forgiven?
(The Merciful Obtain Mercy, April 2012 General Conference)
