Don’t Explain Your Philosophy; Embody It
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a missionary church. Young men have been known to wear white shirts and ties with badges on their chests; young women often wear modest, well-coordinated clothing with similar badges. Members of both genders can be found proselytizing door-to-door, at malls, and on social media.
Missionary work involves more than just the proselytizing described above. All members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are encouraged to share the gospel. So, for example, if someone has knowledge or truth that could improve other people’s lives, it makes sense for that person to share it.
Despite the many benefits of sharing our faith with others, many Latter-day Saints find it difficult to speak openly about their religion to those around them. Some members of the Church have a natural gift for talking to others about religion, while others may feel awkward or embarrassed in such situations. And no wonder religion is an intimate, possibly divisive, subject for anyone, and one is likely to find great resistance to even mentioning it.
May I suggest that sharing the truth (religious or otherwise) is better accomplished by living that truth? People can learn more from observing your actions than any instruction you might give them. Imitation is the natural way humans and other animals learn because people tend to get defensive when told what to do.
“Preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.”
-Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi
This popular quote, often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, does not appear in his known writings. However, it may paraphrase the statement from the Franciscan monk rulebook. Rule 1221, Chapter XII states, “All the Friars … should preach by their deeds.”
“Don’t explain your philosophy; embody it.”
-Epictetus
When someone tells you how to be a better person, it may feel like they’re judging you or think you’re not good enough. However, when someone shows you how to be a better person by example, they show you how they live their own life and let you decide what to do with that information.
“…shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”
-James 2:18
Heber J. Grant, the seventh President and prophet of the LDS Church, told a story:
I heard of a man who was at a great banquet speaking to another regarding the faith of the Latter-day Saints. He said, ‘Why, the Mormon people, those who live their religion, do not use tea, coffee, tobacco or liquor.’ The other man said, ‘I do not believe a word of it.’ The man said, ‘It is true.’
“These two non-Mormons were sitting at one of the tables at this banquet. Along came a Mormon. The man who was defending the Mormons said, ‘There comes a Mormon. He is going to take a seat with us. I’ll bet you he won’t drink coffee.’ The bet was accepted. The Mormon drank the coffee! When they came out the one who lost his bet said, ‘I have no further use for that man, who professes to believe that God gave a revelation through Joseph Smith, telling the people to leave such things alone, and yet he comes here and publicly disobeys the teachings of his prophet. I have trusted that man, but I will quit trusting him.’”
It is important to live what we profess to believe. But, if not, do we believe it? So maybe being a good example is partly about our personal faith followed by projecting that faith to others.
“I maintain that it is the absolute duty of each and every member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to so order his life that his example will be worthy of the imitation of all men, thus bringing credit and blessings to himself and his posterity”
-Heber J Grant
It is by our works, our diligence, our faithfulness, and our energy that we can reach others. The one great standard laid down by the Savior of the world was, “By their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:20.)
“Never call yourself a philosopher, nor talk a great deal among the unlearned about theorems, but act conformably to them. Thus, at an entertainment, don’t talk how persons ought to eat, but eat as you ought.”
-Epictetus
