Proclaiming Allegiance

How do we proclaim allegiance?

 

It's "Rivalry Week" in my home state.

Also known as the "Holy War".

Two college football teams come together in an epic (at least we hope) game.

Both play for bragging rights for the coming year.

Stats are kept ~ which team has won the most in their match-ups, who did the best, who's house are they playing in ~ and how will that affect the game?

The schools are only an hour apart by car, so fans from both teams are represented.

Everyone has an opinion (you know what that means).

Families are divided.

 

It's game day!

Flags are flown.

Pranks are enacted against those we know support the opposing team.

And how do we show our allegiance?

We wear our T-shirts ~ emblazoned with the team we love.

We live 14 hours away, and yet we are interested in this game.  We will eagerly scan the TV listings to see if it will be televised in our area.  We have an interest in the outcome ~ after all, we invested a LOT of money in one of these schools!

 

I will give you a hint of who we are hoping wins glory today....



 

What other things do we show allegiance for in our lives?

We show patriotism for our country by flying the flag, saluting the flag, reciting our pledge to show allegiance to our country.

We vote.

We vote our conscience.

We celebrate our country and show allegiance at the beginning of every sporting event, by singing our national anthem.

 

 

How do we show our allegiance to God?

We worship Him the way our conscience dictates.

I am a Christian.

I believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His son, Jesus Christ.

I believe that the Holy Ghost is given to man as a help, comfort, and guide to return to God.

I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter~day Saints.

I try to follow Jesus Christ and the things He taught.

If you don't believe the same things I do ~ I don't care.

You are free to believe and live your beliefs.

Your right to believe does not trump my right to believe.

The way you practice your beliefs does not change the way I practice my beliefs.

Allowing others to believe God and His teachings, and tolerance for others and their beliefs shows our allegiance to God.

 

Our example in living our beliefs and doing good to others is showing our allegiance to God.

In the New Testament (Holy Bible),  the Savior, Jesus Christ, taught,

"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

~Matthew 22:36~40

(King James Version)

 

I believe that if we all lived ~ loving, caring for, being tolerant, accepting, doing good, and being kind to those around us.....we would proclaim our allegiance ~ with no need for t-shirts or flags.  Our very lives would be an example of good.  Our allegiance to God would shine through, and

we would change the world!