Alma goes on to speak to his son Shiblon, who has been a good son. He has for the most part been a faithful diligent person. Alma just has a little advice for him, like any father would.
He talks a good amount to Shiblon about teaching/preaching the word, and one of the pieces of advice relates to his interactions with others.
"Use boldness, but not overbearance; ..." (Alma 38:12)
I think honestly if the whole world would use this motto, "Use boldness, but not overbearance", we would all be better off. How many feelings could be spared, or how many agreements could be reached by this simple reminder.
We are to stand up for what we believe in, but not bully people. We should share the truth with love, as the Savior did. He went about teaching people, sometimes very difficult things for them to learn, yet so many people followed Him and became His disciples. He was not mean. He didn't put people down or force them to do what He wanted them to. He was just bold. He was not afraid to tell people the truth, or to correct people when they were wrong.
I think the biggest difference is the demeanor and purpose behind the message. If you are desiring to assert that you are right and they are wrong, you might be overbearing. If you show the love you have for someone by sharing something with them that is special to you, then I think your purpose is good and right.
No comments:
Post a Comment