One who practices pure religion soon discovers it is more rewarding to lift a man up than to hold him down.

Some of us are inclined to look to the weaknesses and shortcomings of others in order to expand our own comfort zone.

God has given each of us one or more special talents....It is up to each of us to search for and build upon the gifts which God has given.

If you have self-respect, you will take satisfaction in being well groomed and will not allow yourself to perform shabbily. You will continue to work toward high standards and goals to serve others, to continue and to practice self-discipline. You will not compromise your standards or beliefs.

We ... tend to evaluate others on the basis of physical, outward appearance: their "good looks," their social status, their family pedigrees, their degrees, or their economic situations. The Lord, however, has a different standard by which he measures a person. When it came time to choose a king to replace King Saul, the Lord gave this criteria to his prophet Samuel: "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; ... for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

The discerning realize that it is not realistic to expect perfection in others when none of us is perfect...Meaningful progress can be made only when all of us can cast the motes out of our own eyes, leave judgment to our Father in Heaven, and lose ourselves in righteous living.

One little lie or dishonest act leads to another until the perpetrator is caught in the web of deceit.