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Sep 17, 2010

Who are we?

At institute last night we were talking about true character. With every person there are 3 different rings of our lives, first is the public ring. Everyone can see this ring and see what we do throughout our days/weeks/lives. The second is the personal ring. And the third is the inner side (I say that because I can't remember what President Savage named it). This final ring is how we truly feel, it is the ring that will produce what is seen from the outside.
We also talked about hypocrisy. This really stood out to me because I hate it when people are hypocritical. In the spiritual sense of hypocrisy we usually have examples where the person doesn't really believe what's true and right and maybe, when the person is with friends, will act how he or she feels, maybe not doing the greatest of activities if you know what I mean; and want people to think that they are good, maybe he or she goes to church but doesn't really believe it. In chapter 6 of The Manhood of the Master, Harry Emerson Fosdick points out the other side to hypocrisy. Maybe the person is great on the inside, believe everything that is true and good, but doesn't act it, doesn't stand up for it.
"The secret of hypocrisy is the desire to appear well without paying the price that being right costs. We love to by highly regarded by men; we make their approval our standard; and we learn that we can meet this standard, for a while at least, by outward appearance. It is of this that Jesus is thinking in Luke 16:15, "Ye are they that justify yourselves in the sight of men; but god knoweth your hearts." Think frankly of ways you have deliberately tried to cover the real truth by outward appearance, for the sake gaining approval in your family, in your college classroom, in your church." -Harry Emerson Fosdick
This was so interesting to me. We need to be good, need to act well, be humbled, and not act below us. We need to stand up for what we believe in. Let people glorify in our Father. We can just point the way. Let people come unto Christ. We are so blessed by our Father in Heaven, we get to point to Him and say we have been blessed by Him and you can be too.
What would you do if no one were watching, or rather if no one cared? Would you do what you do? Be who you are today?

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