This article was originally published by Church News. It is republished here with permission.
Brigham Young University–Idaho President Alvin F. Meredith III invited BYU–Idaho students to follow the good Samaritan’s example of compassion during the university’s first campus devotional of the semester on Jan. 13 in the BYU–Idaho Center.
After retelling the story of the good Samaritan, found in Luke 10, President Meredith reminded students of Jesus’ invitation at the end of the parable: “Go, and do thou likewise” (verse 37).
“That invitation is to each of us,” President Meredith said. “It rarely involves anything dramatic or grand. More often, it’s found in small, everyday acts of kindness.”
He said BYU–Idaho students and faculty already exemplify those small acts of kindness, calling them “hallmarks of this campus.”
“My invitation is not to start doing something new but to keep doing what you already do — with intention,” said President Meredith. “Slow down just enough to see who might be struggling on the road beside you. Notice who feels alone, exposed or overlooked. And then to choose, again and again, to be the one who stops.”
Root Out Prejudice
President Meredith said part of being a good Samaritan is “showing compassion, love and courtesy to those who may be a little different from us.”
He explained that in Jesus’ time, Jews despised Samaritans for a number of reasons. Yet Jesus — a Jew — made a Samaritan the example of righteousness in His parable.
“Christ’s message is unmistakable: Prejudice has no place in discipleship. And it certainly has no place at BYU–Idaho,” President Meredith said.
President Meredith repeated Church President Dallin H. Oaks’ plea from his October 2020 general conference address, while he was first counselor in the First Presidency: “As citizens and as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we must do better to help root out racism.”
President Meredith then elaborated: “Doing better means more than avoiding hurtful words or actions ourselves. It means refusing to be silent when they come from others. … So if you hear offensive racial language — even when it’s framed as a joke — have the courage to speak up. If you see someone act with prejudice, do not look the other way. Silence may feel polite, but it’s not Christlike.”
Unseen Lasting Impacts
President Meredith taught, “Showing any degree of compassion can echo far beyond what we see.”
President Meredith recalled a time when his Latter-day Saint ward in Tennessee received an unexpected visitor named Jacque. Jacque explained that 20 years prior she had been working for a newspaper, writing an article about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She wanted to interview a member of the Church, so she looked up the local Church unit in the phone book and arranged a time to meet with a member of the congregation.
President Meredith said Jacque’s voice softened as she recalled meeting with that Church member years ago. She said he was kind, gracious and genuinely interested in her.
“I think he’s the most Christlike man I’ve ever met,” she had said.
It was that man’s kindness that prompted Jacque to attend sacrament meeting 20 years later after seeing the sign for the Tennessee Nashville Mission office. Six weeks after attending that first meeting, Jacque was baptized.
When President Meredith asked Jacque if she remembered with whom she had met all those years ago, Jacque responded, “I’ll never forget him. His name was Todd Christofferson.”
3 Important Principles
President Meredith’s wife, Sister Jennifer E. Meredith, also addressed students at the devotional, outlining three things she and President Meredith feel they should teach students during their time at BYU–Idaho: look to Jesus Christ, follow the teachings of living prophets and apostles, and acknowledge that living the gospel of Jesus Christ is joyful.
Sister Meredith recounted a meeting between Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and a small group of BYU–Idaho students.
Sister Meredith said Elder Bednar had testified, “Jesus Christ lives” before he restated, “Jesus Christ is alive.”
Sister Meredith added her own testimony to Elder Bednar’s: “Look to the Savior. When you truly know Him, you will never want to leave Him.”
Sister Meredith also told students that Church members have “unprecedented access” to the words of modern prophets and apostles and invited them to follow living prophets and apostles on social media.
She closed by reminding students that Jesus Christ commanded His followers to “be of good cheer,” which can be done through simple acts like partaking of the sacrament and worshipping in the temple.
“Living His gospel is the antidote to life’s challenges,” she said.