Truths I Have Learned

I loved going to seminars, classes, and conferences where I could learn how to be better. I'm sorry I didn't take more advantage of the opportunities that came my way. I gleaned many truths from these wise teachers, prepared and armed with the Spirit of God. The principles I learned have changed me. They changed the way I looked at life, and they changed the way I behaved.


For example, the day I heard a lesson about hypocrisy opened my eyes to behavior I'd never known I exhibited. I knew the Lord hated hypocrites, but I'd never realized I was being one when I told my teenagers I didn't want them to go to an activity because it wasn't good for them to be out late, when really I just didn't want to stay up waiting and worrying about them. The same held true when I got on their case for eating the chocolate chips in the cupboard, lecturing them on stealing and taking things that didn't belong to them, but underneath I was just cross because I wanted to eat them myself. I came to realize that a lot of what I called righteous indignation, or reproving for the benefit of my children, was really just selfishness on my part. That's hypocrisy in action.


Another truth I learned was that often when I get angry, perturbed, or unhappy with someone, it is because I did something wrong myself. Subconsciously I know what I did, or neglected to do, so I go on the defensive, rationalizing to myself why I am in the right, at the same time finding someone else to take the blame so I will feel better.


One of the most comforting principles I ever learned was that, while I can only change myself, I can ask the Lord to help the people I love learn the things they need to know. Instead of trying to teach them something, or talk them into doing something I believe they should be doing (which never works) I can ask Heavenly father to teach them.


No one likes to be told they are doing something wrong, or to be told there is something better they could do. Instead of listening to me, they will almost certainly go on the defensive and get upset. But I can ask Heavenly Father to help, and He can put someone in their way, perhaps a friend or someone at work, who will talk about that principle and they can learn it in an comfortable way. Of course, at the same time I need to accept the Lord's wisdom, and if He tells me it is actually my problem, I have to be willing to change myself.