What Good Have I Done?

The Story: The Nurse and the Patient

• The Adversary: She cared for a bedridden patient whom she described as “the most repulsive man” she had ever met. He went out of his way to make the nursing staff’s lives miserable through foul language, spitting on the floor, and constant insults. She admitted that she deeply despised him.
  
  
• The Crisis: One evening, she heard a loud crash from his room. Rushing in, she found him fallen out of bed, thrashing in a pool of broken glass, spilled liquid, and blood.
  
  
• The Transformation: As she saw him in that desperate condition, a profound change came over her. She described feeling an almost electric current of Heavenly Father’s love for the man, instantly seeing him as a beloved child of God rather than an adversary.
  
  
• The Final Moments: She knelt, took him into her arms, and comforted him. The dying man whispered, “I want to go home. I just want to go home.” Shortly after, he passed away.
  
  

The Application

1. Redefining the “Enemy”: Christ’s commandment to “love your enemies” extends far beyond military combatants. It applies to adversaries, difficult associates, and anyone who actively opposes, offends, or mistreats us.
   
   
2. Seeing Others through God’s Lens: True Christian charity (the pure love of Christ) requires looking past repulsive behavior, hostility, or sharp differences to recognize that every person is an eternal child of God whom He loves.
   
   
3. Choosing to Be Active Peacemakers: In an era frequently marked by toxicity and contempt, followers of Christ are called to forgo contention and hurtful language. President Oaks reiterated President Russell M. Nelson’s charge to choose peacemaking in daily relationships, homes, and community interactions.
   
   
4. Balancing Conviction with Compassion: Loving adversaries does not require abandoning religious standards or covenants. Instead, disciples are called to stand firm in truth while treating all people with kindness, fairness, and mutual respect.