“We sing in one of our beloved hymns: “Who am I to judge another when I walk imperfectly? In the quiet heart is hidden sorrow that the eye can’t see.” Who among us might have hidden sorrows? …those questioning their faith, those who experience racial or cultural prejudice, those feeling alone, …and so many others dealing with a wide variety of challenging life experiences—often even those whose lives appear perfect on the surface. None of us have perfect lives or perfect families; I certainly don’t. When we seek to empathize with others who also experience challenges and imperfections, it can help them feel that they are not alone in their struggles. Everyone needs to feel that they really do belong and are needed in the body of Christ. Satan’s great desire is to divide God’s children, and he has been very successful, but there is such power in unity. And how we need to walk arm in arm with each other on this challenging journey of mortality!
Our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, said: “Any abuse or prejudice toward another because of nationality, race, sexual orientation, gender, educational degrees, culture, or other significant identifiers is offensive to our Maker! Such mistreatment causes us to live beneath our stature as His covenant sons and daughters!” While President Nelson has invited all to enter and stay on the covenant path that leads back to our Father in Heaven, he also provided the following counsel: “If friends and family … step away from the Church, continue to love them. It is not for you to judge another’s choice any more than you deserve to be criticized for staying faithful.” …Friends, let us remember that each person on this earth is a child of God and He loves each one.”