Raising a Generation

Yesterday during our Christmas service, I sang with the congregation the beautiful Sacrament hymn (it was the one my young daughter thought so very long). At the bottom of the page, a scriptural reference caught my eye: JST Genesis 14:30-34.

My eyes grew wide as I turned to the reference and read it. How does a mother or a church family (or a nation) raise a generation with faith equal to this? Moses parted the red sea; Daniel had the faith to face lions. Many, many ancient prophets spoken of in the Bible had miracles that occurred. Faith precedes every miracle. How does a mother, or any of us really, raise a generation with that kind of faith?

I was praying this morning about this and the spirit whispered to me, "It begins with those who lead them." And I realized the veracity of this. If I as an adult, or we as a nation's group of parents, do not know the Lord ourselves, how can we teach of His goodness, grace, or power to our young?

Raising a generation full of faith and knowledge of God's abilities begins with those who do the raising.

Turning the Other Cheek

Christ taught that we are to "turn the other cheek" when struck by an enemy. In other words, we are not to retaliate. Today I was reading in Doctrine and Covenants 98 and was struck by these words:

"And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God."

And I realized: unless I'm studying the scriptures and feasting on them, I'm not so sure I--on my own--have the power to be kind in the face of ugliness. I need the Lord and studying His words strengthens me, even in the hard things (see Philippians 4:13).