I am really proud of my husband.
He spent all of last semester working on a design competition with several other students at his University. The project wasn't for any of his classes, it was something he took on in addition to his regular school work and his graduate research. He and his teammates worked really hard on their project and as a result they won the State design competition and got to go to Florida to compete in the National competition--- all expenses paid. Jon was thrilled.
A few months later I checked "Chariots of Fire" out from the library and Jon and I watched it one Friday evening. The movie is about Eric Liddell, the "Flying Scotsman", who refused to run the 100 meter dash (the one everyone thought he would win) in the 1924 Paris Olympics because it was scheduled on Sunday. Liddell was a committed Christian and refused to run on the Sabbath despite the pressure he got to do so. Instead he ran the 400 meter, one of his worst events. Right before he ran it one of his American competitors came up and put a paper in his hand with 1 Samuel 2:30 on it which said, "Those who honor me, I will honor". He ran with that paper in his hand and... well... I won't ruin the ending for you.
This story really impressed Jon and I and made us re-evaluate our dedication to our own beliefs and faith. Would we have been able to do what Liddell did?
Then just a few days after we watched the movie, Jon was looking up the schedule for the conference he was going to attend to find out when he would be presenting his design... it was scheduled for Sunday.
He turned to me and said, "Heather, I can't do it. I really can't present on Sunday."
Me, being the supportive and righteous wife that I am, said, "Well, why not! God won't mind this one time. You've worked so hard and you deserve to do this."
But he stuck to what he knew was right. He told his teammates (all of them are also Mormons) that he couldn't present on Sunday. They were understanding and said that they would present for him. But they felt that since he had put so much work in to it that he still deserved to attend the conference. So, we went to Florida and he didn't present on Sunday, instead we went to visit his aunt and uncle. I kept hoping that maybe because he had made such a big sacrifice that God would bless his team and they would win.... didn't happen... but they still did a really good job. Later Jon had the opportunity to meet the president of the organization and told her that next year they shouldn't have the student competitions on Sunday. She said she'd think about it.
I really admire my husband's decision to keep the Sabbath day holy because, if the truth be known, if I had been in his position... I would have presented on Sunday.
It makes me feel sort of bad to admit this, but I probably would not have given the fact that the presentation was on Sunday a second thought. I would have easily justified it... I'm on vacation... I've worked so hard... It isn't that big of a deal... God won't mind this one time... Everyone else is going to do it and they are Mormons too.
But watching my husband stand his ground, especially when all the others on his team were of the same faith, really made me re-evaluate my feeling about the Sabbath day.
Do I really understand why God ask us to keep the Sabbath day holy?
How "holy" does he expect us to keep it? Is it up for personal interpretation?
How do you stand up for what is right, when everyone else is of the same faith as you, without sounding "self righteous"?
These are the questions that have been floating around in my mind, and I am still searching for answers.
What do you think?
What has been your experience?
Would you have presented?
4 comments:
good post -- it's got me thinking!
It's not directly related, but when we were YSAs, my sister went to the cinema with some of the other YSAs we'd grown up with. My sister ended up leaving the cinema 5-10min after the show started because of the bad language.
One of the other YSAs took massive offence and hasn't spoken to either of us since really. She thought J was completely up herself to have refused to stay in the film.
Myself and my husband often have the same disagreement. He's happy to watch most films, but I have lines drawn. He knows as soon as he's read the review on imbd whether I will watch it.
I think it's great that you DH stood his ground. I think it's even harder to do when it's with people who you have a lot in common with, because you feel like you should perhaps be able to follow their lead.
I think everyone is at different stages with different gospel principles, and we are all here to learn and grow. None of us are perfect and different things are priorities in our growth.
I don't think I will answer all your thought provoking questions, but I am glad that we have a Sabbath free from (most) remodeling each week or I would die! I do want to say "Congrats" to Jon for his and his team's win and "Congrats" to Heather for having a terrific husband who is a great example to all of us. You both are so wonderful! P.S. Love that movie--isn't the music beautiful?
Well I am going to answer your questions honestly. I would have presented. And many people may find this as justification but I think that the Sabbath is up to personal interpretation. It is hard to draw the line but when you need to do something, than you need to do it. There are church leaders that have to work on Sunday because their job requires it. I think it is your own personal attitude towards the Sabbath that really matters, not necessarily what you do. Educational opportunities are part of gaining knowledge, does that mean you shouldn't study and gain worldly knowledge on Sunday? I'm not sure, but I would do it because I feel its valuable. If you work on Sunday to provide for your family is that wrong? I'm not sure, it depends on how you feel about it, but I think that the Sabbath must be interpreted. That's probably why the others presented. It's not about right or wrong, it's about how you feel about it. Personally I would probably feel like the presentation would be educational and I wouldn't find many problems with it. I think that it is self-righteous to judge whether actions in a certain situation are right or wrong (black or white) when in all reality there is a huge gray area in between right and wrong. That gray area is where we all make the decisions we feel best about, not how others feel about them. I'd love to talk to you about this over the phone. I'll see if I can give you a call soon!
Drew,
Thanks for you comment-- I think that you bring up some really good points and I can't wait to talk to you more about it. BUT I did just want to make clarify myself a little, because I don't want it to make it sound like I was passing judgement on the other teammates who presented. I don't think that Jon is more righteous than they are because-- he isn't. He just knew what was right for him and couldn't go against, it doesn't necessarily mean that it was right or wrong for the others.
Sometimes I think that God gives us individual commandments and blesses us when we live by them.I like what funkyhan said in the first comment--- our spiritual growth is all different and at different stages.
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