The Savior was the ultimate example and asked us to follow Him. As imperfect beings, we all make mistakes and some of us make more serious ones. Thank goodness for the Savior's atoning sacrifice that gives us ALL the opportunity to change, repent, and start fresh. What I don't understand is this: People who profess to be good Christians cannot give the "sinner" in their eyes a chance to change and be a good person and continually hold the past against them. Let me relate an experience that happened to someone close to me. I will not be using real names.
Shelly was a young mother with 4 children. She had married in the temple and hoped to have a happy life. Soon it became evident that her husband did not seem to follow the same values as she did and as she tried to explain this to her bishop but it seemed to fall on deaf ears. Later she found out that her husband had also visited with their bishop and had told him that his wife was depressed and was having problems and that things would be fine. As the result of this things got worse until all that was left to do was divorce. She took the kids and went to live with her mother. After the decision was made to proceed with a divorce Shelly went back to her home to get some belongings. She took the kids with her so they could say good-bye to their dad. After the truck was loaded up Don, the father refused to let her take the children. Pleading and begging and crying did nothing and not knowing what else to do she got in the truck and drove away without her children. She felt she had no choice but to leave. Of course Don told everyone that she abandoned them. Now the point of this story is coming. Her oldest child was going to be baptized in a few short months and she did not want to miss this. So Shelly and her mother went back to her ward, where she thought she had many friends and an understanding bishop, not realizing that Don had been playing the victim and spreading lies about her. When she walked into the font room to be there for her daughter people turned away from her and would not even look at her. Some even told her how dare you come back here etc. The bishop did not even talk to her. This happened to a person who had committed no appalling sin and who had just been trying to survive a marriage that her husband was making a farce of. As her mother witnessed this injustice to her daughter, she thought of the incident in the bible of the woman brought before Jesus who had been accused of adultery. As Jesus looked about and drew in the sand he said, "He who is without sin cast the first stone." Because of this incident, Shelly became disillusioned and felt that Christians and especially Mormons were hypocrites and that she wanted nothing to do with them and went off the deep end. The point of this story is as the Savior said, "He who is without sin cast the first stone."
As I stated earlier, we all make mistakes and some of us make bigger ones than others, but who are we to try and decide who can and cannot be forgiven? Before you make snap judgments look inside yourselves at your own past sins. Would you want someone to hold them against you for your entire life and shun you? I think not. So as situations arise don't be too quick to judge and slow to forgive. People all need a second chance and when there is loving support from others people are more willing to change.
Pray for guidance in your dealings with those you meet and remember the Savior and follow his example He will never lead you astray.
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