Infuriating Unfairness
Open talk in Gospel LibraryContents
Before Reading
Before reading or listening to the talk, consider the following questions:
- How does Elder Renlund define "unfairness"?
- What examples does Elder Renlund use to illustrate different types of unfairness?
- How does Elder Renlund suggest we can respond to unfairness in our lives?
- What role does Jesus Christ play in our experiences with unfairness?
- What actions can we take to alleviate unfairness in the lives of others?
Topics
Understanding Different Types of Unfairness
Elder Renlund discusses various types of unfairness, from those resulting from personal choices to those that cannot be explained, such as being born into affluence or poverty, or living with disease or disability. He also touches on the compounded unfairness that can occur when different types of unfairness merge.
Our decisions can likewise yield long-term advantages or disadvantages.
Some unfairness cannot be explained; inexplicable unfairness is infuriating.
Different types of unfairness can merge, creating a tsunami of overwhelming unfairness.
- What are the different types of unfairness discussed by Elder Renlund?
- How do our personal choices contribute to some types of unfairness?
- What does Elder Renlund mean when he talks about "a tsunami of overwhelming unfairness"?
- Can you identify a time when you experienced or observed one of the types of unfairness discussed by Elder Renlund?
- How can understanding different types of unfairness help you respond to them in your own life or in the lives of others?
- What choices can you make to avoid contributing to unfairness?
Finding Hope in Christ Amidst Unfairness
Elder Renlund emphasizes that Jesus Christ understands our experiences with unfairness and has the power to provide a remedy. He encourages us to trust in the Savior's ability to resolve all unfairness, even if we don't understand how or when this will happen.
I declare with all my aching heart that Jesus Christ both understands unfairness and has the power to provide a remedy.
In the eternities, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will resolve all unfairness.
All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
- How does Jesus Christ provide a remedy for unfairness, according to Elder Renlund?
- What does it mean to have faith in Christ's ability to resolve all unfairness?
- How does the Atonement of Jesus Christ make all unfairness right?
- How can your faith in Christ help you navigate through experiences of unfairness?
- What steps can you take to deepen your trust in Christ's power to resolve all unfairness?
- How can you use your understanding of the Atonement to help others who are experiencing unfairness?
Becoming "Stonecatchers" to Alleviate Unfairness
Elder Renlund encourages us to follow Christ's example and strive to alleviate unfairness where we find it. He uses the story of Bryan Stevenson, an attorney who worked to combat unfairness, to illustrate how we can become "stonecatchers"—those who not only refrain from casting stones at others but also try to catch stones thrown by others.
As we develop faith in Jesus Christ, we should also strive to become like Him. We then approach others with compassion and try to alleviate unfairness where we find it.
The Savior directed that we "should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of [our] own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness."
Not throwing stones is the first step in treating others with compassion. The second step is to try to catch stones thrown by others.
- What does it mean to be a "stonecatcher", according to Elder Renlund?
- How can we follow Christ's example in alleviating unfairness?
- Why is it important to be "anxiously engaged in a good cause"?
- What actions can you take to become a "stonecatcher" in your own sphere of influence?
- How can you use your own experiences with unfairness to develop compassion for others?
- What "good cause" can you be anxiously engaged in to help alleviate unfairness?
