We’re told that if we read the Book of Mormon regularly, we’ll learn something new every time. I didn’t think 1 Nephi had anything new in it for me – I think I’ve read that book at least three times more than I have the rest of the book. You know how it is – you get started, get off track, and then start again at the beginning. But while reading it again for the Hinckley Challenge, sure enough, I found something I’d never seen before.
Take a look with me at these verses.
1 Nephi 2:11: Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart.
1 Nephi 3:6: Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured.
1 Nephi 3:31: And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?
In these verses, we’re seeing the two sides of obedience. We’ve got Nephi on one side, faithful and true, with his two older brothers Laman and Lemuel on the other side, doubting, complaining, and making everyone’s lives miserable. As I read the above verses, I had some interesting thoughts.
Notice in the first verse that Laman and Lemuel are upset about leaving behind all their riches. They haven’t taken into consideration the fact that their father’s life is in danger—their hearts are on their treasure, and they don’t understand the treasures that come from following the Lord.
In the second example, Nephi is being blessed and favored because he did not murmur. That’s a pretty stark contrast from his brothers, they who murmur constantly. In the last verse, Laman and Lemuel are at it again, and they say something very significant.
They say, “How is it possible?”
They don’t understand.
When I look back at my life and all the times I have murmured, I can plainly see that in those cases, I didn’t understand. I didn’t understand the greatness of God, His power, mercy, or might. I didn’t understand how He watches over us all, loves each of us so much, and wants the very best for us in every circumstance. Mostly, I didn’t understand that no matter what us puny earthlings might do, He is in control. Always. He gives us our free agency, but He is always in control.
I truly gained a testimony of this life-changing concept over the course of the last year, and I’ve noticed that my tendency to murmur has decreased. Once we understand that God is in control, once we know that He is behind all things and that He’s on our side, it makes the trials of life easier to bear.
I sometimes feel sorry for Laman and Lemuel. Those poor guys just didn’t get it. Raised in a home of luxury, with access to deep and meaningful spiritual teaching, all they could see was the gold, not the gospel. Because they chose to murmur, their hearts were hard, and they never did grasp the big picture.
May we learn to stop yammering with our mouths and start listening with our ears, so that we might come to learn the deeper truths of the gospel and have peace in our hearts.
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