A Standard Worth Living By

President Russell M. Nelson, 17th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said, "How we treat each other really matters! How we speak to and about others at home, at church, at work, and online really matters. I am asking us to interact with others in a higher, holier way. Please listen carefully: 'If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy' that we can say about another person — whether to his face or behind her back — that should be our standard of communication."

In journalism and content creation, we make countless small decisions about how to present people — what words to use, what to include, what to leave out. I've learned that those decisions are moral. And they pointed me toward three principles I keep coming back to: respect, clarity, and trust.

Respect

Respect in communication is about consistency. It's treating someone the same whether they're sitting across from you or across town — whether they'll ever read your words or not. It's pausing before you speak when you're frustrated, because you know that words sent in a hard moment can land harder than you meant. And it's remembering that behind every message and conversation, there is a person. Not just a subject. Not just a source. A person.

President Nelson said that how we speak about others — not just to them — really matters. It's easy to be kind to someone's face. The harder standard is what we say when they aren't there. In editing, I can make someone's words sound wise or careless depending on the context I keep around them. That's power. And respect is what keeps that power from becoming harm.

Clarity

Clarity is knowing what you mean — and having the courage to say it. In content creation, clarity means asking: Would this person recognize themselves in what I've written? Would they feel seen, or reduced? Clear communication doesn't hide behind ambiguity. It says what needs to be said, the way it needs to be said.

President Nelson quoted the 13th Article of Faith — "if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy." That is a clarity test. Before I speak, write, or post, I can ask: Is this true? Is this kind? Is this something I would want said about me? Clarity isn't just about being understood. It's about being honest enough to hold yourself to a standard even when vagueness would be easier.

Trust

In journalism, a source trusts you with their story. That trust is not a given. It has to be earned, and it can be lost in a single careless sentence.

President Nelson called us to a "higher, holier way" of interacting with others. I think that higher way is trust — the kind that makes people feel safe with you. Safe to be honest and imperfect. Safe to know that you will speak of them, always, with the same care you'd want for yourself.

The Standard

Respect, clarity, trust. These aren't just communication principles. They are covenant principles. They are the way the Savior speaks to us — consistently, honestly, and always with our best self in mind.

I'm learning that the standard isn't about perfection. It's about returning to who I want to be and how I want to treat people. It is returning to the question: is what I'm about to say virtuous, lovely, praiseworthy?

If the answer is yes — say it.

That is the standard worth keeping.