Have you had trouble sustaining local church leaders or even anyone of the leaders in the General Authorities of the Church? Some things you dislike or disagree with that held you back from raising your right arm to signify that you sustain them? This kind of issue in our membership is more common than you may think. It was such an issue that concerned the leadership of the Church, they spoke on the matter by making it part of our study books, “Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith – Sustaining Those Who Are Called to Preside“. The issue of sustaining those who we disagree with can be quite a challenge, because our personal feelings about the person can be so strong that it disallows us to raise our right hands during the sustaining call and to some, this becomes a problem in their interactions with that person during Church services and classes.
In that study book I listed just above a statement was made that I agree with, it said,
It is a serious wrong in the presence of the Almighty for one to vote to sustain the authorities of the Church and then to go away and oppose them and trample under foot the counsels that they give; and we will be judged of the Lord for it.
In short, this would be called hypocrisy, to claim we sustain them and then oppose them at every turn. I understand that we have the freedom to disagree and have our own viewpoints on matters, maybe even view doctrine a bit differently, but to be hypocritical is a sorry state to be in as it negatively affects personal state of righteousness and worthiness. If there is something about the person that is seriously wrong that the other leaders have overlooked or did not know about, then speak to your Bishop. If the matter is serious enough (means beyond differences of opinion and beyond personal affronts) and the Bishop does nothing or little, go to the Stake President, but this article is not about serious errors, this article addresses those who, at a personal level, feel adverse toward leadership and have trouble sustaining them.
Sustaining others in the Church is part of our faith toward Heavenly Father because it is also upholding God’s authority that is invested into each calling in the Church. Think about it. Each of you men in the Church hold priesthood authority and if you choose to dishonour or not sustain another in their calling, it amounts to you undermining your God given authority of the priesthood or staining it by inward discord of the heart and mind.
Here is a man who says: “I do not have any faith in the bishop. I do not like the bishop. I do not believe in him, he is incompetent; he is partial; he is unjust; and I will not sustain him in his position in the Church.” … Don’t you forget it; [the bishop and his counselors] are there, not because we of our own will put them there. They are there because the Lord has designated that as the order of presidency in a ward, by divine authority, and the bishop holds authority there from God, not from man.
What shall a person do when confronted by their inward discord about another called in the Church? Well, there is a way to deal with this inward disharmony that may help in maintaining your righteousness and worthiness before the Lord. Think of this in terms of your marriage.
Neither you or your spouse are always in agreement with things either of you do, choose to do or believe, yet you want harmony in your marriage none the less. It is unpleasant and disheartening to have a spouse that undermines and opposes you at every turn. I have seen this myself in marriages and it is a very sorry sight. No spouse is right, generally speaking, when they oppose their partner. I am not speaking in terms of something that is a serious transgression, I speak generally, of everyday matters. To have a spouse that disagrees at all times, opposes you, works against you, undermines your efforts, is a spouse that abides in the spirit of evil. What is the result in the end? Misery at least, divorce at worst.
What can be done? The answer is to sustain your spouse. Deal with serious matters appropriately, but sustain your spouse and believe it at the same time. As you stand beside your spouse in all matters, in public, in Church, in front of the family, you sustain the marriage – family and all that it represents. Sure you will disagree, but work, do and believe in sustaining him or her in their efforts, duties and choices. You can still disagree, say No to things, but you can also continue to sustain them in Christ-like love.
Hoping that you have at least the general idea of what I am saying, apply this same principle and focus toward others in the Church. Consider them a “partner” in the building of Zion and the maintenance and administration of God’s true Church. Help them, serve them, walk with them. As much as you want your spouse to walk and stand beside you in respect and love, expect the same thing of yourself in how you sustain others in the Church. The old adage from the Bible, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” . Since it is important to sustain each other in marriage, so it is also important to sustain each other in the partnership of Church.
What if the person does something that is seriously wrong, what then?
You can help them, advise them, support them in their need, show your love and concern, respect them, but always maintain personal righteousness. Maybe you need to seek counsel for yourself and so on. Can you translate these same things to others in the Church, keeping respect for the circumstances and matters at hand?
Things as these can be challenging, sometimes feeling outright impossible, but that is what the Gift of the Holy Ghost is for. Pray, fast, be sincere and humble in asking heavenly Father for help of what you can do. Trust the impressions of all goodness of heart and mind and even if what you receive, that is good, seems to be only a little, abide in it none the less, sustain it and do it. God can see far more than you can at anyone time. Allow me to give an example that I experienced one time that is burned into my memory.
One day in Church, during the sacriment meeting, I felt impressed to go and sit beside another member who was alone. I felt adverse to it, had personal views about it, even a fear or two and did not listen to the impression. There was nothing wrong in following the impression, yet I chose to not abide in the spiritual direction. After Church I went home. Next Sunday, to my horror, I learned the results. That member died in a car accident going home that Sunday. A truck crossed the center line and they hit head-on to each other killing the member. To this day, I remain deeply sorry that I did not “sustain” that member in whatever the Lord wanted me to do. Sure it was something minor, to go and sit beside that member, but maybe, my presence would have changed the entire day. Maybe the accident would have still happened, but what I know for sure, is that God had a good and important reason for asking me to do it and I failed in it because of what? – because of personal reasons that really had no value or purpose in the bigger picture. Today, if I was granted the same chance again, I would spring to action. I learned that a small change in events can make a big difference overall.
The moral of this, sustain each other and the small help you give can make a big difference for the other down the road and please Heavenly Father as well. That to me, is certainly worth it.
Amen.
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