Crabby Abi's Blabbing

I was getting my lesson ready for seminary tonight and, ironically, it’s about two different things:

1. When we are given assignments, we are responsible to report what we have done (Luke 9:1-6, 10).
2. Jesus invites us to be tolerant of others (Luke 9:46-56).

Part 1 posed questions like:
1. Who gave you the assignment?
2. Why do you think you were chosen to receive the assignment?
3. How well did you fulfill your obligation?
4. How can you tell whether the person cared how well you filled it?

All I can seem to think about when trying to answer these questions myself is Prop 8. The assignment to do all that I could came from God. I’m not sure why I was chosen to be a part of this battle at this time, but I’m sure He had his reasons. I never feel like I’ve done enough or that I even did all I could have done. I’m hoping that Heavenly Father will send the Spirit to let me know that He knows that I did my best.

At the close of part one, we’re to read Revelation 20:12 and answer these two questions:

1. Before whom will we stand as we make our final report of our life upon this earth?
2. What would you like to be able to report at that moment?

When I stand before God and he asks me if I did what He asked me to do, I want to be able to look Him in the eye and say “Yes. And I did the best I could.”

The second part of the lesson seemed to be a bit more difficult to prepare. We’ve been doing a lot with Prop 8 lately, spending all day yesterday with the youth in our ward standing on the corner of a busy intersection waving and cheering for Prop 8. My husband had a burrito thrown at him, we were flipped off time and time again, called all kinds of names, told where we could go and what to do with ourselves when we got there, mooned (seriously), and were told that it was shameful how we were teaching the youth to hate.

This part of the lesson deals with Luke 9:46-56. It poses questions like:

1. What might those who are tolerant of others think of the man who was casting out devils in Christ’s name or of the Samaritans?
2. How did the Apostles view the man who was casting out devils?
3. How did they view the Samaritans?

Then:

1. What was the Savior’s attitude towards the man casting out devils and the Samaritans?
2. Do you think the Savior was pleased with the attitude of His disciples? Why or why not?

Then this:

Invite students to think about their attitudes toward people of other religions or those who seem to be sinners. Ask the students to write down what they think the Savior might say if He were to talk to them about their attitude.

I hope and pray that the Spirit will be with me in the morning when we talk about these two sensitive subjects. We’ve been asked by our Heavenly Father to do something that the world sees as intolerant. We’ve been assigned the specific duty to stand up for what we know to be right. We’ve been given the assignment by a prophet of God and we will be expected to report back on our efforts when we stand before Him to be judged. I hope that the kids will be able to feel the Spirit bear testimony to them of the importance of their role in this great cause.

Our responsibility is to love all people no matter what – it IS the 2nd greatest commandment. But, our love of God comes first. Our willingness to do what He has asked of us will show how much we love Him and how much we are willing to sacrifice, whether it be of our time, our talents or something else which is asked, to be obedient to His will.

Putting the will of the Father over the will of ourselves causes us to be truly happy and prosperous. Nothing anyone can say to or about us will change or take that away. Our obedience proves our love for our Father in Heaven. Then, and only then, are we prepared to truly love our neighbor as ourself.

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