Real Faith Cannot Be Built by Using Borrowed Light

Faith is built on what is hoped but can't be seen. Unfortunately, that can lead some people to not worry about seeing anything - or even denying what should be easily visible. It's easy to forget that belief in what can be seen but is not faced is not empowering faith in the purest sense (since the Book of Mormon adds the interesting disclaimer, "which are true") - like someone who continues to believe the world is flat when there is so much evidence to the contrary.  Of course, that can be a tricky thing to say, since many people insist they know, with absolute certainty, some things that might not be fully knowable, but it still is a good thing to remember.  Believing something does not make it correct - and merely believing something does not constitute faith. 

How then should someone of faith help someone else have faith, as well? 

We all see through a glass, darkly, but glasses need to be prescription to work better than whatever we have now, and it's really hard for one person to find the right prescription for someone else - especially in an area that is as subjective and individualized as faith.  Therefore, I believe it is most important to encourage others to consider carefully and ponder deeply what they personally believe (independent of what others believe) and, if they are unsure, help them build their own individual faith.  Building faith, ultimately, must be a personal journey, based on what one person sees, does not see and hopes - and, until it is tackled individually, faith is illuminated solely by borrowed light. 

I will attempt to lend light to someone who desires to see, but, ultimately, I must encourage them to put aside my light and search for and find their own - even if that means they end up seeing some things (even things I hold dear) differently than I do.