All of us have heard some version of the adage, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” The statement has been attributed to a number of different sources; however, the Congressional Research Service cites Peter Marshall, who served as chaplain to the U.S. Senate following World War II, as the most likely original reference. In a prayer offered before one of the opening sessions of the Eighty-First Congress, he stated, “Our Father…Give us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for – because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything.”[1]
We live in a time when it will become increasingly important that individually and collectively we take a stand for truth and what is right. Charles Dickens articulated eloquently a view of a world not dissimilar to our own. He wrote:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…”[2]
As Latter-day Saints, we have the truth and we know what the ultimate outcome will be of this mortal existence; however, we also know that “Satan is abroad in the land, and [that] he goeth forth deceiving the nations.”[3]
As a result, we all will need to know where we stand and what we stand for. As you now graduate and leave the wonderful but insulated environment of BYU-Idaho, it will be important to be firmly rooted and be able to take a stand when appropriate. I would like to share three brief examples to help you remember to Stand Up, to Stand Firm, and to Stand Tall. If I knew each of you well enough, I could probably use examples from your lives; I have chosen to cite instances of people familiar to you.
Stand Up
The first is from the life of President Joseph F. Smith (1838-1918). As a young man, he was called to be a missionary to the Sandwich Islands. At age 19, on his way home to Utah, he and a few other missionaries were traveling together. One day, a group of drunken ruffians rode up on horses, firing their guns, yelling wildly, and cursing the Mormons. Most of the missionaries had heard the riders coming into camp so they sought refuge in the brush some distance away to hide and wait for the men to leave. Young Joseph had been gathering wood and walked into camp at an inopportune moment. The leader jumped of his horse and shouted, “We will kill anyone who is a Mormon!” He shoved his gun into Joseph F.’s face and asked, “Are you a Mormon?” Mustering his courage, he stood tall, looked the man in the eye and said, “Yes siree; died in the wool; true blue, through and through!” The man was so stunned by the bold and unexpected response that he lowered his gun and looked at the young man incredulously. He then said, “You are the ______ ______ pleasantest man I ever met! I’m glad to see a fellow that will stand up for his convictions.” The man then got on his horse and, with his companions, rode away.[4]
Each of us must at times courageously and firmly stand up for what we are and what we believe. It may not be easy, convenient, or politically correct to stand up in the face of opposition, but it will always be right. Do what is right, let the consequence follow.[5]
Stand Firm
The next example is taken from the life of President James E. Faust (1920-2007). In 1942, he was conscripted into military service. As a new private, he was given guard duty at the military base where he was stationed. He said he spent a long, cold night marching, shivering, and trying to stay awake. He also spent a lot of time thinking and concluded that if he wanted to avoid guard duty in the future he would need to become an officer, so he applied for officer candidate school. At age 22, he said his resume was not very extensive or impressive, but he proudly noted that he had served faithfully as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He and a few others were summoned to a board of inquiry to consider their applications. He related that the board, a group of seasoned and somewhat hardened military officers, began peppering him with questions primarily about his religious beliefs and missionary service. During the questioning, they asked him whether he smoke or drank; they asked how he felt about others who do. They asked if he prayed and whether he felt it was appropriate for a military officer to pray. They also asked whether the circumstances of war justified loosening the moral code because the rigors and stresses of battle might justify allowing men to do things they would normally not do at home.
President Faust related that this experience was a pivotal point for him in his life – he could try to appear tolerant and broad minded or he could respond how he believed and had been taught. After agonizing over how to respond, he did not equivocate. (The text from Isaiah in the New International Version of the Bible underscores this principle: “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.”[6]) He answered honestly and directly. He said that as he left the room, he was sure these officers did not share his beliefs and would not like the answers he had given. He was quite sure his opportunity to become an officer had evaporated. However, when the results were posted, he received one of the highest scores. He was in the first group taken for officers’ school, and after graduation, became a second lieutenant.
President Faust acknowledged that standing firm for our beliefs will not always have favorable results with those of this world, but it will always strengthen our faith and our relationship with God.[7] As another hymn so poignantly points out, for those who stand on a firm foundation, He will “never, no never forsake.”[8]
Stand Tall
President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008) was one of the greatest orators of this dispensation. He spoke plainly about taking a stand. He stated, “We are involved in an intense battle. It is a battle between right and wrong, between truth and error, between the design of the Almighty on the one hand and that of Lucifer on the other. For that reason, we desperately need moral men and women who stand on principle…The time has come for us to stand a little taller…This is a season to be strong. It is a time to move forward without hesitation, knowing well the meaning, the breadth, and the importance of our mission. It is a time to do what is right, regardless of the consequences that might follow. We have nothing to fear. God is at the helm.”[9]
Our current prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, has also encouraged us to have the “courage to stand firm for truth and righteousness,”[10] to “stand in holy places,”[11] and to “ever be courageous and prepared to stand for what we believe, and if we must stand alone…[know] that in reality we are never alone when we stand with our Father in Heaven.”[12]
May each of us go forward having a determination to serve God faithfully to the end,[13] knowing where we stand and what we stand for: stand up, stand firm, and stand tall. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Notes
[1] "Prayers Offered By The Chaplain, The Rev. Peter Marshall, D.D. At The Opening Of The Daily Sessions Of The Senate Of The United States During The Eightieth And Eighty-First Congresses 1947-1949", p. 20 (1949), Senate Doc. 80-170
[2] Dickens, C. (1999). A Tale of Two Cities. New York, NY: Dover Publications
[3] D&C 52:14
[4] Story related in the following references: M. Russell Ballard, “Standing for Truth and Right,” Ensign, October 1997; James E. Faust, “Acting For Ourselves and Not Being Acted Upon,” Ensign, October 1995; and Jeffrey R. Holland, “Oh, Lord, Keep My Rudder True,” address given at Brigham Young University, January 21, 1986
[5] Do What Is Right, Hymns, No. 237
[6] Isaiah 7:9 (NIV)
[7] James E. Faust, “Stand Up and Be Counted,” Ensign, February 1982
[8] How Firm a Foundation, Hymns, No. 85
[9] Hinckley, G. B. (2001). Stand A Little Taller. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book
[10] Thomas S. Monson, “May You Have Courage,” Ensign, May 2009
[11] Thomas S. Monson, “The Holy Temple-A Beacon to the World,” Ensign, May 2011
[12] Thomas S. Monson, Dare to Stand Alone,” Ensign, November 2011
[13] D&C 20:37