The Lord's Boundaries

When I try to set boundaries with people, I feel bitchy.  I feel like people will see me as selfish, self-absorbed, inflexible, rude, mean, unfeeling, uncaring, demanding and high-maintenance.

Several years ago, my family gathered for a family reunion.  Somehow, there was a huge falling out. I wasn't in the room when it happened, and to this day don't fully understand what went on.  But it was nasty. One of my brothers took his family and left in the middle of the night and my sister and her husband left early the next day.  Those of us still left for another day were on both sides of the argument and so the day was not without additional incidents.  Again, the sequence of events is not clear to me, but at some point in time, my brother said something to the affect of: Even the Lord has standards of behavior.  He is accepting of all and loving, caring and empathetic.  But, there are still standards of behavior required to receive his presence and return and live with him again.  I have never forgotten that.

Even the Lord has boundaries, and from the looks of it, I would call them boundaries on steroids.

The Sacrament
See that ye partake not of the sacrament of Christ unworthily; but see that ye do all things in worthiness... (Mormon 9:29)

The Temple
And that no unclean thing shall be permitted to come into thy house to pollute it... (Doctrine and Covenants 109:20)

Kingdom of God
But behold, and awful death cometh upon the wicked; for they die as to things pertaining to things of righteousness; for they are unclean, and no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of God; but they are cast out, and consigned to partake of the fruits of their labors or their works, which have been evil;... (Alma 40:26)
And no unclean thing can enter into his kingdom; therefore nothing entereth into his rest save it be those who have washed their garments in my blood, because of their faith, and the repentance of all their sins, and their faithfulness unto the end. (3 Nephi 27:19)

Anger
But I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.  (Matthew 5:22)

Passion
Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness.  (Alma 38:12)

There are more, I am sure of that.  These are just the few that I could pick off the top of my head.  From experience, I will tell you that you can't set boundaries with another person until you fully understand your own worth;  until you're ready for them to walk away and not respect the boundary you have set.  Until you understand that their honoring or disrespecting your boundary is not a reflection on you, but a reflection on them.