“Hey, I’m gonna head inside and grab a beer. Do you want me to grab you one?”
I was at a restaurant with some of my work colleagues a few years ago, and had just been introduced to someone new who had been hired onto our team.
This new colleague had asked me if I wanted him to get me a beer inside.
I told him thanks for the offer but that I didn’t drink alcohol.
He responded:
“Oh! Do you not drink because of your church, or is it a personal choice?”
I only had a split-second to gather my thoughts.
But I was somehow able to respond by saying:
“Well, I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, if that’s what you’re getting at, so yes, my religion asks us not to drink alcohol.
“But it is also a personal decision that I’ve made to follow that advice and not drink alcohol.”
He graciously said, “Of course, I get it!”
(For the record, we worked together very well afterward, so he obviously didn’t think I was too crazy for my response.)
Really, I just wanted to let him know that I didn’t abstain from alcohol only because my church told me not to.
I had made a personal decision to follow the counsel and had felt that decision confirmed to me many times.
The Lord gave the new Saints in New York a big, life-altering commandment to move to Ohio.
But the Lord ended this commandment with an interesting note:
“Behold, here is wisdom, and let every man choose for himself.” (D&C 37:4)
The Lord gives commandments.
The church gives guidelines.
Our prophet gives challenges.
Our bishop gives us callings.
And yet, we always get to choose for ourselves.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
