Part 2: Our Relationships with Others

Look, I know there's a foreign language
caption here. Just ignore it and focus on
Christ with the children. :)

This category contains what I see as divinity in how we treat other people and how we develop relationships. To me, one of God’s defining qualities is the ability to love people deeply, no matter what they have done or who they are. Our Heavenly Parents love each of us and see more in us than we do—and that means that They see more in others too. Including the people we don’t understand, don’t like, even hate or fear. They see potential where sometimes we only see faults.

I appreciate that quality so much—I appreciate knowing that our Heavenly Parents care about me and have patience and mercy toward me. And I have witnessed in my own life that when I try to take this divine quality into my life, my relationships are improved, my entire outlook is improved, and I feel a greater love for those around me.

·         Relating to people individually—reaching people where they are; “he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding” (2 Ne. 31:3).

·         Seeing good in others, even when they are behaving badly (Mos. 9:1)—“when I saw that which was good among [the Lamanites] I was desirous that they should not be destroyed.”

·         Joy in others’ good qualities—“I... do rejoice in the greatness of your heart” (Alma 61:9).

·         Understanding, looking beyond differences to more important matters—“now, in your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry” (Alma 61:9). What a great example of moving on and focusing on what matters.

·         Ability to love, to have unity and no contention—“there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people” (4 Ne. 1:15). And note, it’s not that everyone is exactly alike and thinks alike. It’s because of their love for one another.

·         Leading others to God—“Moroni... had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God” (Alma 48:7). I couldn’t figure out exactly how to characterize this, but it feels like a trait that comes from our Heavenly Parents.

·         Teaching—he “caused that they should be taught...that thereby they might become men of understanding” (Mos. 1:2).

·         Justice (Mos. 5:15)

·         Mercy (Mos. 5:15, Alma 19:29, 3 Ne. 28:32)

·         Patience (Mos. 24:16, 3 Ne. 28:32).

·         Forgiveness—“as often as my people repent will I forgive them” (Mos. 26:30; see also 3 Ne. 28:32, Alma 61:9).

·         Equality, fairness—the judgments of God come upon all nations (2 Ne. 25:3).

·         Giving credit where it’s due—“I will not boat of myself, but I will boast of my God” (Alma 26:12)

·         Service/helping others—“he delighted in the saving of his people from destruction” (Alma 55:19); helping in various ways—comforting them, giving substance, feeding hungry (Alma 4:13–14; see also Mos. 5:15).

·         Compassion, empathy—“willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort” (Mos. 18:9; also Eth. 1:35, Mos. 9:1).

·         A deep capacity for love and concern over the souls of those you love—“I desire that ye should remember to observe the statues...of the Lord;...this hath been the anxiety of my soul from the beginning” (2 Ne. 1:16).