Having two left feet can be a problem. But this week's BYU Devotional speaker Scott Swofford said when it comes to faith and life it can be more of a problem to think we have two right feet. He compared the importance of being authentic in communications about faith with how we look at our feet while walking.
"All who observe us find us most authentic when we also acknowledge that trailing foot, and not just champion the 'best foot forward,' pretending we have two 'right' feet," Swofford said.
Swofford, who is the creative director of BYU Broadcasting, counseled against making certain declarations of faith that are often used as "statements of pride, exclusion, and misunderstanding." In learning to differentiate from faith-based fervor and exclusionary attitudes, Swofford recommends remembering key pinciples.
"As we seek authenticity, it would serve us to remember that all men are children of our Heavenly Father, and all 'fall short of the glory of God,'" Swofford said.
Specifically, Swofford suggests that authenticity requires "an attempt to speak in a situational language" based out of real interest in the other person, which will in turn foster understanding and respect. While it can be difficult to be articulate in sharing something like faith that can be meaningful and personal, Swofford suggests turning to the example of Jesus Christ as an unfailing means of being authentic.
"Following that pure love of Christ under the direction of the spirit is the ultimate communications trump card," Swofford said. "It is divinely authentic."
If you missed Swofford's remarks, the Devotional can be streamed on demand on BYUtv.org and will be available on speeches.byu.edu.
Next Week's Forum
Next week's Forum address, on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 11:05 a.m., in the Marriott Center, will be given by Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts.
Romney's address is titled "Life Lessons from the Front" and if you submit a question via this link, he just might answer it in his remarks on Tuesday.
Former Governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney is the founder of Bain Capital and served as chair of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. Romney received his B.A., with Highest Honors, from Brigham Young University in 1971. In 1975, he was awarded an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was named a Baker Scholar, and earned a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School.
Writer: Nate Depperman
