Sabbath Devotional :: “A Genuine, Sacred, Divine Response”

In April of this year, Elder Gary E. Stevenson spoke of the two great commandments: “In the twilight of Jesus Christ’s ministry, during what we now call Holy Week, a Pharisee who was a lawyer asked the Savior a question he knew was nearly impossible to answer: ‘Master, which is the great commandment in the law?’ The lawyer, ‘tempting him’ and seeking a legalistic answer, with seemingly deceitful intent, received a genuine, sacred, divine response.”

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:36–40).

I have been thinking about the way Elder Stevenson introduced these scriptural verses that are foundational to all of Christianity. He acknowledged that the lawyer had “seemingly deceitful intent.” But Christ’s response was “genuine, sacred,” and “divine.”

How often do we get comments or questions with seemingly deceitful intent? Ones that are snarky or confrontational? Ones where the person is trying to manufacture a “gotcha” moment or get a rise out of us?

On the other hand, how often do we assume a negative intent of someone else?

How we respond in such moments can tell us a lot about ourselves. In some circumstances, a genuine response is not necessary, and the best option may be to defend yourself or to simply not say anything. However, often we have an opportunity to respond genuinely. Even in secular situations, genuine responses can be sacred and divine. It is an opportunity to be a peacemaker.

It’s difficult but helpful if we assume the best of others. A few years ago, on a community page for my small town, someone commented with a question that came across as critical and even unkind. He had many others respond telling him that asking a question like that was inappropriate. He wrote back saying he actually wanted to know. At that point, I paused. I had previously agreed with the others that his question was rude. But I know this man. He is my friend. And he is the kind of person I like to be around and want my kids to be around. Remembering that he is a good person made me accept that his question, while not worded perfectly, was sincere. So, I answered it.

Other times, I have found questions online that people ask without obvious sincerity. But if I answer genuinely and without malice, I can show them respect and calm tension. It doesn’t always work, and I don’t always do it well, but I want to. I have noticed that simply looking between the lines to recognize the question or the concern in someone’s heart and then responding directly to it can create peace.

Many years ago, I was teaching a class where two students were, shall we say, struggling. They disrupted the class often. I was doing my best to address their behavior and their individual struggles while still teaching the class. At the end of the class, a quiet and well-behaved student gave me a thank you note that said he learned as much from how I responded to his classmates as he did by what I taught. Honestly, I had not considered that I was being watched. I was trying to be my best self, calm tensions, and possibly help the difficult students have a positive experience. But others are almost always around. Even if we don’t reach the insincere person, we might reach someone else who is quietly observing or lurking online.

Think of Abinadi, who responded to all of the questions of the wicked priests of King Noah by teaching them profound truths and doctrine. He responded in sincerity, which was sacred and divine. Alma, one of the priests, was listening. The fact that Abinadi responded the way he did to an unfriendly line of questioning brought about the conversion of hundreds and the establishment of God’s church.

When Zeezrom first approached Amulek, he was defiant and confrontational. He was “expert in the devices of the devil, that he might destroy that which was good” (Alma 11:21). His challenge to Amulek was sarcastic and condescending. But Amulek responded with real answers, which changed Zeezrom’s attitude. “And Zeezrom began to inquire of them diligently, that he might know more concerning the kingdom of God” (Alma 12:8). What a powerful example of peacemaking!

In the earlier story, Jesus responded to the lawyer as if his question was sincere. He assumed good intent. Having been confronted with a genuine response, the man’s insincerity and deceitfulness were stopped in their tracks. And all of those listening, including those of us reading the story today, are blessed endlessly by the sacred answer.

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Megan Rawlins Woods is the nonpartisan root senior director at Mormon Women for Ethical Government.

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