Be brave and humble, firm and gentle, all at the same time. With the Lord’s help, it’s not as hard as it sounds.
One of the things we agree to do as part of the baptismal covenant is “to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in” (Mosiah 18:9). And incidentally, we renew this covenant every week when we partake of the sacrament.
In the April 2014 general conference, several speakers reminded us that there will be times when standing as a witness of God will mean having to face opposition, criticism, and ridicule. So what should you do when you’re required to take the uncomfortable, uncool, or unpopular step of defending your beliefs?
Here’s Some Advice from the Scriptures
The scriptures give you some basic principles for standing up for your faith, including the following.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ” (Romans 1:16).
As President Thomas S. Monson has said, “We will all face fear, experience ridicule, and meet opposition. Let us—all of us—have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God’s approval” (“Be Strong and of a Good Courage,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 69).
“We speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth” (1 Corinthians 2:13).