Being tall has its advantages. In a crowd I can see over the heads of people and I can spot my family members easily. I can see people I am looking for or avoid people as well. I can also stand firmly in one spot and people will generally walk around me or if they bump in to me, they apologize. I also stand out in a crowd. Through out my life I have often heard the remark, "Wow, she is tall." A lot of people have just simply stared at me. I have often wondered what those people are thinking, the ones that just stare and make no comment. I always hope that I portray what I believe, that I stand tall and proud to be who I am, a daughter of God.
Standing is something that has stood out (no pun intended) to me lately. The Young Women's motto is "Stand for Truth and Righteousness." Stand, not sit, for truth and righteousness. I have wondered why "stand" is chosen in the scriptures. To "stand...having your loins girt about with truth" (Ephesians 6:4, D&C 27:16); "Stand in awe, and sin not" (Psalms 4:4); "But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved" (D&C 45:32); "Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come" (D&C 87:8). The reason we must stand is because it is a position of courage, and strength. It is to remain firm in the face of war, and we are at war. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12). We can't afford to sit around and waste our time watching TV, shopping for frivolous items that are of no value, surfing the Internet for things that mean nothing, texting and not talking with people, and many other time-wasters because we need to STAND. Now, not that those things are bad, but if we don't have a balance, we will stumble or even worse, fall. Make a stand in your life and make time for God. Pray. Read and ponder the scriptures. Remember Christ daily. Just as our bodies need food to stand for all that it requires, our spirits need to be fed to endure the battle we are in against the "rulers of the darkness of this world" (Ephesians 6:12).
President Monson, in General Conference said: "We must be vigilant in a world which has moved so far from that which is spiritual. It is essential that we reject anything that does not conform to our standards, refusing in the process to surrender that which we desire most: eternal life in the kingdom of God" (Oct. 2011 address). President Monson used the word standards. Standards "akin to old English- standan to stand and probably to Old High German hart hard" (Merriam-Webster). Standing is hard at times. Especially when we are left standing alone. It can be really lonely. But I testify, we are never alone and we need not fear to stand. "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I: am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isaiah 41:10).
I find it interesting that President Monson, the Lord's prophet for our day, in two of his addresses this past General Conference, his topic was "standing", Dare to Stand Alone addressed to the Priesthood, and Stand in Holy Places. Our prophet is calling us to recommit ourselves to the Lord's army. "Communication with our Father in Heaven-including our prayers to Him and His inspiration to us- is necessary in order for us to weather the storms and trials of life." (Stand in Holy Places) The Apostle Paul wrote: "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ...Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2 Timothy 2:3, 22)
Ask yourself, "what do I need to stand for today?" "Do I stand for Christ in all I do and say?" If we are looking at, reading, watching material that is not something we would want to share with Christ, then we have chosen to sit down, we have lowered our standards. "Who is on the Lord's side?" (Exodus 32:26) Let's do the hard thing and stand, raise the bar and "stand for truth and righteousness." Stand for and with Christ. Standing will changes your perspective and your view. "To stand" is the way "the enemy shall not overcome" (D&C 38:9). This I testify.
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