Living What We Profess

Editorial on LDSPro.com ^ | 2004 | Rodger Dean Duncan

[restornu]

An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light turned yellow, just in front of him. He did the right thing, stopping at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection. The tailgating woman hit the roof, and the horn, screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection with him.

As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands up. He took her to the police station where she was searched, fingerprinted, photographed, and placed in a cell.

After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door. The woman was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects. He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn and cussing a blue streak at the guy in front of you. I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk. Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car.”

The story may or may not be apocryphal. But it illustrates the challenge we all face: making sure that our behavior squares with our professed values.

Personal Responsibility

Personal responsibility is a virtue we all want in others, and most of us claim as a defining characteristic of ourselves.

That’s not a casual statement. I have hard data on it. Over the years I’ve interviewed and surveyed hundreds of thousands of people regarding the culture in their organizations. I always ask questions about performance – the performance of the respondent and the performance of others. Virtually without exception, individuals regard themselves as reliable and responsible. They believe they are held accountable to high standards. But when the same questions are applied to others, respondents usually have a different story. They believe that at least some of their colleagues provide less than robust performance.

For example, in one company where I recently did a culture diagnostic, 76% of employees agreed with the statement “I am always held accountable for performing at a high level.” Among the same employee force, however, only 9% agreed with the statement “At (name of company), people who don’t pull their fair share of the load are promptly held accountable.”

Aside from the logical incongruity of that finding, it underscores a common malady: a blind spot for one’s own foibles or mistakes.

Years ago we kept the following note on the family bulletin board:

That’s Not My Job

This is the story about four people. Their names were Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did. Somebody got upset about that, because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody didn’t do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.

The behavior described in that little ditty is painfully common. It reminds me of when I was growing up as a kid. We kept a water bottle in the refrigerator. The rules, of course, were that (1) you never drank out of the bottle, and (2) you always filled it up after using it.

In reality, of course, my brothers and I often violated the rules. It was not unusual to open the frig and find the bottle not only with just a quarter inch of water in it but with bread crumbs floating on the top. Everybody blamed Somebody when … well, you get the idea.

Living What We Profess

In a recent Gospel Doctrine class, we discussed a number of scriptures that directly apply to the notion of living what we profess:

· Nephi’s admonition that we “must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ.” (2 Nephi 31:20)

· The importance of asking God, in the name of Christ, to consecrate our performance. (2 Nephi 32:9)

· Jacob’s wonderful teachings on magnifying our callings. (Jacob 1:17-19)

Regarding that last point, we gain further insight and instruction in D&C 58:26-28. In this revelation we’re reminded that we should not need to be commanded in all things (a heavenly twist on “That’s Not My Job”), and that by our own free will we should be anxiously engaged in good causes.

In Jacob 4:10 we’re reminded that we should “seek not to counsel the Lord” but rather to “take counsel from his hand.” In an intellectual sense, that doctrine is easy to grasp. In actual practice, however, it’s sometimes a challenge. On occasion we ask the Lord to guide us, then we grab the steering wheel.

In Jacob 5 we read of Zenos’ allegory of the olive tree. A central theme in the allegory is stewardship. A stewardship is a job with a purpose. (See an earlier column, “Think Like a Steward, Perform Like a Patriot.”)

When we are faithful in our stewardships, we magnify our callings. We don’t need to be commanded in all things. We are proactive. We go the second mile. And, of course, faithfulness in our own callings is an integral part of our genuine sustaining of others in their callings. Ask any bishop how important good home teaching and visiting teaching are to the effectiveness of his service as the ward’s shepherd.

Then we studied the Book of Enos. Here we see one of the finest examples of personal religion in the scriptures. The fervent prayer offered up by Enos illustrates the expanding concern of a righteous person – first for himself, next for his own people, and finally for his enemies. Enos provides a model of humility and openness to the Lord’s teaching.

Doctrines Pure and Simple

These doctrines are pure and they are simple. So pure and simple, in fact, that they can easily be missed.

Years ago while serving as a stake president I sought out a high priest who had been completely inactive in the Church for more than a decade. I asked him why he had chosen that path. He said he was called to serve as stake mission president and he developed a plan for the calling. His stake president had a different vision for missionary efforts in the stake, and asked him to adjust his plan.

“I felt really strongly about the plan I had developed, and I resisted the stake president’s instruction,” the man told me. “When it because obvious that my approach would not be followed, I asked to be released. Then I just drifted away from the Church.”

“Well, I guess you really showed him, didn’t you?” I said. “To demonstrate your independence, you’ve estranged yourself from the faith you once defended. Meanwhile, your wife and children have been denied the benefits of your participation, and your temple blessings are held in suspension while you ignore your covenants.”

It was very straight talk, and fortunately the man came to his senses and returned to activity.

Living what we profess requires a special kind of commitment. The doctrines of the Restoration are not always easy, and the natural man frequently gets in the way. Our challenge, of course, is to emulate the strength and faith of people like Nephi and Jacob and Enos.

[restornu]

We have a critical role in our own salvation. Beware the traps of “That’s Not My Job” kind of thinking.

Rodger Dean Duncan, a descendant of 19th century Protestant evangelists, was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the age of 18. Early in his career he was an award-winning journalist, editor and syndicated columnist. He has been a consultant to cabinet officers under two U.S. presidents, members of the U.S. Senate, and senior officers of major corporations. He earned a Ph.D. at Purdue University, and is founder and president of The Duncan Company, a consulting firm focused on leadership development and organizational effectiveness.

Brother Duncan has served on several stake high councils, twice as bishop, as stake president, and as stake mission president.

Brother Duncan is married to Rean Robbins-Duncan, a fifth-generation Latter-day Saint. They have four children and two grandchildren. The Duncans live in Missouri, only a short walk from Historic Liberty

[restornu]

I apologized to the Mods for my weakness in this area!

I pray and hope this thread is productive in a humble gentle and humorous matter!

[restornu]

I hope you find some thing of interest!

[restornu]

May I ask those of you who are not LDS when you read these things that not to offend just think of it as good referance book.

[restornu]

If there are works of your faith on this subjuct you would like to share please do!

[Utah Girl]

What? Pressing forward with a steadfastness in faith in Christ? Isn't that what we all profess as Christians?

[D-fendr]

thanks resty.

We can't be reminded too often how Jesus taught us to treat one another.

[ and I'm going to remember the joke about the cop... ]

[Between the Lines]

These doctrines are pure and they are simple.

You know... I was reading along enjoying this article then wham! Like a brick wall I hit these "pure and simple doctrines" that read like Greek to me. Nephi? Enos? Zenos? Heck, I couldn't even look up the references because I must have a defective Bible that doesn't include these books. You might want to think about having the second half of this article translated into English.

Oh well, I guess I never will find out if that water bottle got rinsed out and refilled. Just the idea of the bread crumbs floating in there gives me the woollies. Y'all have a good one and remember...... keep to your witness.

[Religion Moderator]

There. Now maybe we can keep this thread friendly.