Jesus Christ

Every faith has sacred things and a child of God will respect those sacred things even when they are not his own sacred things.

Religious people understand the importance of treating the sacred with respect and dignity—the same respect and dignity we want our own sacred things to be accorded.

Sacred moments add meaning to life and help us to maintain our faith and courage in the light of complex trials and everyday frustrations. Private prayer, scripture reading, pondering the things of God all bring an increased sensitivity to the comfort and promptings of the Holy Ghost.

“When Jesus cleansed the temple [John 2:13-16], He was filled with reverent indignation because men were desecrating His Father’s house, selling doves and lambs to be offered as sacrifice,” wrote President David O. McKay in Gospel Ideals.

“Money-changers were there for the convenience of those who came from other countries, so they could give in local currency their temple contributions. Seemingly, in their own eyes, they were justified, but they were doing these things in the House of God. We are told that He overturned the money-changers’ tables and said to the sellers of doves, `Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.’”

`Reverence,’ wrote Ruskin, `is the noblest state in which a man can live in the world. Reverence is one of the signs of strength; irreverence one of the surest

indications of weakness. No man will rise high who jeers at sacred things. The fine loyalties of life must be reverenced or they will be foresworn in the day of trial’ ” (LDS Church News, January 28).

Mormons consider their temples to be sacred spaces, their time there an opportunity to escape the worries of the world and focus only on their relationship with Jesus Christ. This space and this time is essential to their eternal well-being. Like Jesus, they fiercely guard the temples from anyone or anything that would undermine its sacredness.

What is sacred in your life? Why is it sacred and how does it impact your life? How do you protect and honor that sacredness? How do you protect and honor that which is sacred to others, but not to yourself? This is one sign of a true Christian.

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