Alma 34: 27-28

Yes, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn-out and pray unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

And now, behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose this is all; for after you have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart not of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need - I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is in vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as the hypocrites who do denied the faith.

This past week saw the passing of two of our nation's black leaders, men who fought their whole lives for the equal rights movement.

John Lewis was inspired by Martin Luther King Jr. to follow in his footsteps and use the principles of nonviolent protest. He was the son of sharecroppers but lived to become a leader in the US Congress serving 17 terms. People called him the "conscience of the Congress". He was a deeply religious man who never preached but lived his religion.  Here are some quotes by Mr. Lewis.

"The Civil Rights movement was based on faith. Many of us who were participants in this movement saw our involvement as an extension of our faith. We saw ourselves doing the work of the Almighty. Segregation and racial discrimination were not in keeping with our faith, so we had to do something."

"We are one people with one family. We all live in the same house . . . and through books, through information, we must find a way to say to people that we must lay down 

the burden of hate. For hate is too heavy a burden to bear."

This week saw also the passing of the Reverend C. T. Vivian. He was an early civil rights activist and leader in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He was another disciplined advocate of nonviolence.

"Non-violence is the only honorable way of dealing with social change, 

because if we are wrong, nobody gets hurt."

"When a Christian church exists that doesn't want to accept anybody 

but white people, right, they've already denied the faith, all right?"

"Can you be a Christian and a racist at the same time?"

These men would understand exactly what Amulek was saying in verse 28. If you don't live the religion that you profess, "ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith." These two men are exceptional examples of people of deep faith who lived out that faith their entire lives. Their example challenges me to examine my own life and to see if I am doing the same.