4 And it came to pass that we went up unto the house of Ishmael, and we did gain favor in the sight of Ishmael, insomuch that we did speak unto him the words of the Lord.
There may be times when people accept a message from an unknown messenger based on the merits of the message alone, but those times are rare. Generally, we first decide whom to trust, then listen to what they have to say. Nephi and his brothers had an important message to deliver to Ishmael, but they had no hope of delivering it until they had gained favor in his sight.
Substance is more important than form, but it is naive to believe that a true message will sell itself. We need to get others’ attention in order to deliver the message in the first place, and we need to gain their trust in order for them to open their minds to the possibility that our message is true and relevant, especially if it differs from their habitual ways of thinking.
Today, I will recognize that I must earn the trust of those around me. Even when I am sure that I have content worth delivering, I will respect the sovereignty of others over their own minds and hearts, and I will remember that their perception of the messenger dramatically impacts their receptiveness to the message.
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