he should be a free man

1 Nephi 4: 16-38

What does it mean to be free? I recently read "Song Yet Sung" by James McBride. It described the struggle of the black man in Maryland during the 1860's. Freedom to the black man, freedom to the white man, freedom to the woman, freedom to the minority, it all seems to be a great social issue.

Nephi promises Zoram that if he goes into the wilderness, he will be "free like unto us?" Why was Lehi's family free? Because they left a land of iniquity? Because the left a land where men wanted to slay them for speaking the truth? In McBride's book the slaves describe their plight as "all lies are truth and all truths are lies?" I thought about this allot.

I guess it depends upon who you are, what you have to lose and to whom you belong as to weather what you believe is a lie or a truth? Nephi sought to fine truth. Laman and Lemuel never believed what he told them and later in the story we will find that they too had a hard time with the truth.

So it seems that truth is connected to freedom and freedom is connected to truth. WE cannot be truly free without truth, nor can we find truth without freedom. They are connected. And herein lies God's wisdom in making Agency the backbone of our moral trials.
We must have freedom to choose. Our founding fathers understood this fundamental truth.

I believe this is why I strive daily to find truth: in the scriptures, in the trees, in the birds song, in those that I love, and in myself. I know that in finding truth, I will find freedom... freedom from what? stress, guilt, pressure, hardship, yes... and so much more. gravity.. and earthly pain.

That is why Jesus's atonement means so much. It brings us the truth about ourselves. It teaches us that we are loved! So much are we loved that if we will believe this one simple truth we begin to understand the price that was paid for us to internalize this truth and then share it. This truth will truely set us free. The truth will set you free.

Zoram did go with them. He did believe thier promise that they would set him free and let him tarry with them. We never hear about Zoram again. Was he an African slave, an indentured servant? How did his seed pass through to the Nephite people.

What I find of greatest worth is that Zoram helped Nephi retrieve the law so that the truth could be taught. He helped Nephi and then he was set free from Laban's wrath and harsh servitude. The Lord's plan had promise for the slave. He "should be a free man" and receive of the blessings that Lehi would receive, if he (as a freeman) would choose to live the commandments of God.

i think we all should be free men. We all should seek the truth, through the spirit, through words, through practice, through smiles, through honesty, through acceptance, and mostly through love. I think that truth and freedom are like love and peace, they go together, they harmonize one another.