Making decisions with a group of people.
I’m not sure if that statement made you cringe as much as I do when I think about it, but yikes.
It can be tough.
I mean, even with a group of people who I like, trying to make plans together for a group date, things can get messy.
Making decisions in our callings at church,
Making decisions as a family,
Making decisions in a committee at work,
Completing a group project for school,
Or even just look at groups of legislators who have to make decisions for a country together…
Making decisions in a group of people is often rough.
And that’s what I find so appealing and soothing about the Lord’s directions to church leaders in D&C 107:30:
“The decisions of these quorums, or either of them, are to be made in all righteousness, in holiness, and lowliness of heart, meekness and long-suffering, and in faith, and virtue, and knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity;”
What were just listed?!
Christlike attributes.
So if we possess Christlike attributes, it is much easier to make decisions together.
And I just have to share this beautiful promise the Lord gives them right afterward in verse 31:
“Because the promise is, if these things abound in them they shall not be unfruitful in the knowledge of the Lord.”
If we abound in Christlike attributes we are promised that we will gain the knowledge of the Lord.
We will not be unfruitful if we harness these qualities.
Of course, we can’t control the attributes of everyone around us in a group, so that complete spiritual unanimity will probably be a rare occurrence.
(Or if you are a leader in a group, you can at least encourage and model these positive qualities.)
But what we can control is ourselves, right?
We can trust that being more righteous will lead to better decision-making.
That becoming more meek will lead to better decision-making.
That having more patience, showing charity, gaining knowledge, and living virtuously will lead to better decision-making.
Christlike attributes lead to better decision-making.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
