“And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” ~Mosiah 2:17

KNOCK KNOCK HELLO Y’ALL

I would like to speak today about family, service, and how I view the people around me.

Many people call one another brother and sister.

I have discovered that those words mean different things to different people.

For some, they are church titles.

For some, they describe blood relatives.

For some, they describe friendship.

For me, my brothers and sisters are the children my mother and father raised together.

Those are my earthly siblings.

Yet when I meet another person, I try to look beyond their title, position, age, politics, religion, wealth, or reputation.

I try to remember that they are a child of God.

Not because they belong to my family.

Not because they belong to my church.

Not because they agree with me.

But because God created them.

God Is Father

I worship God the Eternal Father.

He is not my neighbor.

He is not my peer.

He is my Father.

I am His child.

The same is true of every person sitting here today.

Before we were mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, we were children of God.

That truth changes how I try to see people.

Jesus Christ as Elder Brother

I do not worship Jesus Christ.

I worship God the Eternal Father.

I honor Jesus Christ as the Son of God and as my Elder Brother.

He showed what a child of God could become.

He showed compassion.

He showed courage.

He showed forgiveness.

He showed service.

He showed obedience.

When I study His life, I do not see someone inviting me to worship Him.

I see someone inviting me to become better.

To serve better.

To love better.

To forgive better.

To be more like our Father.

Five Generations

When five generations stand together, something beautiful happens.

The oldest remembers.

The youngest dreams.

The parents build.

The grandparents teach.

The children learn.

Each generation serves the others.

No generation survives alone.

My parents served me.

I serve my children.

My children will one day serve their children.

That chain continues because God designed families to bless one another.

Mosiah 2:17 in Action

King Benjamin did not say:

Serve only those who agree with you.

Serve only those who belong to your church.

Serve only those who like you.

He simply taught that when we serve another person, we serve God.

That means every act of kindness matters.

Helping a neighbor.

Listening to a friend.

Feeding a child.

Comforting someone who is hurting.

Protecting those who cannot protect themselves.

All of these are service to God.

Seeing the Spirit Within

I have learned something important.

People often judge one another by appearances.

God looks deeper.

He sees potential.

He sees purpose.

He sees a soul.

I try to do the same.

Sometimes I fail.

Sometimes I misunderstand.

Sometimes others misunderstand me.

But I continue trying to look deeper than the surface.

Because every person has worth.

Every person matters.

Every person is known by God.

Conclusion

My father taught me.

My mother taught me.

My children teach me.

Life teaches me.

But King Benjamin reminds me that wisdom comes through service.

When we serve one another, we serve God.

When we lift another person, we honor God.

When we strengthen a family, we honor God.

When we protect future generations, we honor God.

I am grateful for my parents.

I am grateful for my children.

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve.

And I am grateful for God the Eternal Father, who teaches us through family, through service, and through one another.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.