Relief Society Lesson 15: We Should Be a Reverent People

Anonymous says:

I’d like to explore this “(*Reverence is “a feeling or attitude of deep respect, love, and awe, as for something sacred.” )” further as I’m confused.

To me the verbs respect, love, and awe are rightly applied to people, not things, not even sacred things. I too would clean up the paper towels on the bathroom floor, not in respect for the bathroom tiles, nor the building, but in respect to the next person to use the restroom. I love my wife, not the institution of marriage (even though we often use the term marriage is sacred). I’m in awe of the Creator of the grand canyon, but not really in awe of the large hole in the ground.

Am I making sense? I know people are sacred (because we are created in His images – are His children), but how can things be sacred?

Yes, I remember the O.T. where God told Moses to take off his sandals because the ground near the burning bush was sacred. How long does the sacredness last? I suppose by now there is much animal waste on the ground near the bush – If God doesn’t keep it clean should we still consider it sacred ground?

HurricaneMag says:

First off I love this blog and utilize it often. Living in a small branch I need all the help I can get to teach in Relief Society, Primary, and manage the library.

When you have a child with autism society, makes your life becomes a daily struggle for reverence. The reason is because you suddenly become a bad parent because you cannot control your child. Our small branch of 90 has three autistic children. I am the mother of one of them. From ages one to nine we struggled to get our son to sit in sacrament. If the setting of church changes by a new face or a loud person is speaking or a baby cries most children with autism are set off.

To reach a child with autism you need to have a sensory, friendly area with a small number of people. We found that creating a class of 2-4 average children with one or two children with autism worked best. The child with autism will often model the average kids and reverence will be easier to achieve.

Because of the small class our children gained so much. They also can sit in class and manage their outburst in sacrament. Our son just turned 12. He is looking forward to passing sacrement.

cchrissyy says:

emily
“Clearly, they can’t sit through class… maybe just loving them and helping them make it through Primary each Sunday, even if it’s in the halls or empty classrooms, will teaches them (and me) all they need to know.”

thank you! as a mom of one who’s spent vastly more time in the hallway or an empty class and finds even entering the church building and primary room to be too difficult most days, thanks for being willing to understand how just getting an inch closer, just being kept company and loved outside the classroom is so important, so helpful and meaningful to the child and his family.