Watch Me

I have realized one of my biggest pet peeves in the world is when people tell me I can't do something, or anyone is told they can't achieve or become anything. The worst is when someone is told they will never amount to anything, that they will never be able to change anything. Honestly, this is the single most demeaning thing you can say to another human being. So, to quote a two word sermon from Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Stop it."


You read that right. "Stop it." I will just come out and say it. The talk that happens about another human being, another child of God, saying that they will never change or amount to anything or make a difference needs to stop. Some people are okay with accepting the status quo, others are not. Just because you don't have the faith in yourself that you could make a change, doesn't mean another person can't have the faith to do so. I want you to think about all those who have achieved great things. Someone along the way more than likely said that they wouldn't be able to do it. They would not be able to reach their dreams. Many dealt with ridicule because of their dreams, but they persevered. They did something worth remembering.

I think of a woman who was a recluse. She wrote poetry that people scorned and laughed at her for being who she was. Only a couple of her poems were published during her life. I think of a man who suffered from different mental illnesses, but was a painter. He was told he would never be worth anything because his paintings were not in sync with the current style of art. I think of a young boy who wanted to fight a giant, but his brothers laughed at the thought.

Emily Dickinson, Vincent Van Gogh, and David are people we now know as a brilliant poetess, one of the greatest painters of all time, and King David through whose line of descendants came Christ.


I think of Christ himself. He was scorned. He was told He was not who He said himself to be. He was persecuted. But He performed the greatest, most selfless act known to mankind. Christ suffered for the sins of the world and broke the bonds of death. He was told it would be impossible. He was told that He did not have the capabilities to do so. But did He just accept it? No. He knew what He needed to do. He knew His mission. He knew who He was. And we now have the way to return to our Father in Heaven because of Him.

You have the power to make a difference. Many people will say, "Don't worry about things you can't change." When I hear this, I think about the degrading and disappearing of morality in the world, the common place use and abuse of drugs, alcohol and other harmful substance. I think about how we are seeing basic human rights stripped and the voices of wicked attempting to silence the voices of the righteous. My favorite verse of scripture is Romans 8:31, "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" This shows that with God on our side, we can achieve what we want to. You want to make a difference? You want to do good things? You want to change the world to be more aligned with God? Well, He wants to help you achieve
that.

Next time someone says, "You can't change it, so don't worry about it." Think about what you want to change. Is it because you know it is morally wrong, goes against the commandments of God or prevents the gospel of Jesus Christ from being moved forward in it's fullest? If so, then God is going to be on your side.

Don't ever, EVER, let anyone tell you you cannot make a difference. Because God needs you to. He is backing your righteous stances. Dare to stand alone, because you are never alone when God is on your side.

So next time someone tells you that you can't make a difference, that you can't change, that you can't do something. Look at them and say, "Watch Me."

I know you were made to make a difference. You can change the world. You just have to believe in yourself.

I love you all!
Love,
Sister Mackenzie Esmond