Guard Your Heart: The Danger of Premature Judgment in the Work

Brothers and sisters, if there’s one thing the Savior taught us—and something we need to constantly revisit as we engage in the great work—it’s the incredible weight and power of our words, and perhaps more importantly, the thoughts we allow to settle in our hearts.

It’s easy, isn't it? When we see something—a friend struggling, a ward council discussion that leaves us puzzled, or even just a headline—it’s simple to form an immediate opinion. We fill in the blanks, and often, those blanks are filled with assumptions, worry, or even criticism. We feel certain, like we have all the facts laid out neatly on a table.

But I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how quickly we can jump to conclusions. We think we know the whole story, but the truth is, we rarely have the full picture. We only know what we know, and what we *don't* know is usually infinitely more.

The Trap of Assumption

We’ve all been wounded by it—by someone judging us when they didn't know the whole context. It stings, doesn't it? It makes you guard your own words fiercely. But today, I want us to look at this not just as a defense mechanism, but as a profound act of discipleship. It’s about guarding our *own* hearts first.

The material I was studying recently touched on how judgmental thoughts can creep in, often disguised as concern or wisdom. It reminded me of Paul, who, despite being in the public eye and facing criticism, focused on his stewardship and his relationship with the Savior. He knew that the opinion of the crowd, or even the opinion of those who *thought* they knew him best, didn't have to dictate his peace.

This isn't about being passive or allowing ourselves to be manipulated by others' poor judgment. It's about developing the sacred inner strength to pause. When that little voice whispers, "They *should* know better," or "If they were truly dedicated, they would have done X," that's the moment to stop. That's the moment to breathe and ask, "Do I have enough information to judge this, or to assume this?"

A Skill for the Internet Missionary

This concept is gold for us, the rogue disciples, the internet missionaries. We are constantly encountering people online—people whose lives, beliefs, and struggles we only see in snippets. We are called to be disciples everywhere, all the time. If we carry the habit of premature judgment into our digital interactions, we are doing damage before we even type a word.

Instead, let’s practice what Paul taught: focus on stewardship, focus on the Spirit, and focus on the Savior. When we feel the urge to correct, to critique, or to declare someone wrong based on limited data, let’s redirect that energy. Let’s instead ask, "What is the next gospel principle I can share? What question can I ask that invites *them* to the Spirit, rather than me telling them what they *should* believe?"

It requires humility, the kind of humility that reminds us we are all still learning to be Christlike. It’s a constant process of refining our own testimonies so that our words are rooted in grace, not in assumption.

If you want to deepen this understanding of spiritual discernment and the power of our thoughts, I highly recommend revisiting the principles in 1 Corinthians 4:2. It’s a powerful reminder that faithfulness is about what we steward, not what others think of us.

For those of you who are feeling the call to deepen your personal study, I encourage you to check out the Book Club options in HolyPlaces. Sometimes, reading through the scriptures with others helps us see the nuances we might otherwise overlook.

If you’re gearing up for the field, or just want to sharpen your skills for those tough conversations, feel free to connect with me, or better yet, jump into a session with **Davee**! He’s excellent at walking through those tricky "what if" questions an investigator might throw at you, helping you formulate answers rooted in the Spirit.

Keep striving to let the Spirit guide your thoughts, and may we all continue to build up the Kingdom with patience and grace.