Pondering God's Law (Helaman (10: 1-5)

Helaman 10: 1-5

Once upon a time I was a young mother of three small children. After one hectic morning at the YMCA swimming pool my young family returned home to prepare for afternoon naps. I'm not sure who was more tired, my children or me? So when one child raced to the beat the other inside of the house and to the bathroom a very large fight erupted, causing one to knock the other around a bit more than I was comfortable with.

There I sat a young mother who had tirelessly worked to teach my children to love one another, to help one another. I had given them instruction, I took them to church where they learned moral lessons. I showed them good examples and "not so good" examples so that they might be able to learn to judge for themselves. I sang them songs to help them remember to always be kind. What went wrong? Why did they divide against me? Why did they not listen and heed my counsel and my example? Who were these young tots that were beginning to make their own choices and disobey my counsel and rules of the house?

Politics exist in every facit of our lives. They begin before we are born and continue on after our death. If you don't believe me think of the recent passing of an a elderly Hunt family member who was survived by several younger heirs. Politics are about whose in charge and how the power will be disbursed within a a family, a community, a society, and a nation. When the moral laws that dictate the behavior and judgments of a family become corrupt, the family is at risk to split, to separate, to divorce. When they can't see eye to eye, they divide.

Nephi understood this. He sorrowed deeply for the wickedness: abuse, divorce, child molestation, robbery, murder, assaults, cheating, bribery, and all of the mayhem that he saw within his community. He tried in vain to get them to listen to a better way of life. A way of life that required them to love others more than themselves. A way of life that put a higher love above their selfish desires. He understood that what happens in our families carries into our communities, our society, our state, and our country? When one is unstable and filled with chaos, both are unstable and filled with chaos.

Nephi spoke as but one voice among many who have spoken to the need for unity through moral choice. My father spoke eloquently to this point today in his blog "How Hegel and Darwin helped create Progressivism". He writes not how one man sought to keep the unity through moral choice, but rather how the influence of two men created a division of philosophical ideas within today's American society and law. These ideas have served to act as the opposition needed to help us weigh our choices. Choice is an integral part of God's plan and helps differentiate those who choose a life of liberty via the strength of morality and those who choose a life of false security via a system set to "get gain". Without choice we have not freedom. Without freedom we have no power to make educated choice. History has proven that leaders whose main goal is to "get gain" set their nation upon courses that eventually deprive their countrymen of choice.

Nephi wanted very badly for his fellow citizens to understand where their decisions were taking them. He wanted them to "exercise their choice" by pondering and thinking about the signs he gave them, the proof he offered, not for himself but for God's way of life. The reason the men accused him of wanting the glory for himself was that is the only view they knew. How could they think that he might actually want them to live honestly if they themselves did not understand the meaning of honesty? Their accusations reflected the selfishness of their own hearts.

Nephi pondered what went wrong. When things don't go as we hope, when life doesn't turn out as we plan do we ponder? Do we consider God's love and how he will continue to be in charge. God does not in tend for us to have control. We are only to speak the truth and let others make the choice for their own lives.

Words and Phrases

vs 1 there arose a division - There were those who did not beleive and those that did believe. The sad thing here is that no one stood with Nephi. He converted a few, (the 5) but no one stood with him.

vs 2 pondering the things which the Lord had shown him.... He thought carefully about all that God had revealed. He knew what was coming. He understood the wicked path his countrymen were on. They had just buried a judge who was murdered by his brother for greed and power. Greed and power had taken over the land.

vs 3 he was pondering in his heart - We don't ponder just in our head. We use love, and wisdom to help correct the mistakes of our intellect. We ponder with our hearts. We think with our minds.

vs 4 unwearyingness declared the word - As a mother I hope that I declare God's word with no wearyness. I hope that my actions, my words, and my love is received in a manner that touches the hearts of my children so that they will hear God's voice as it speaks to them and helps them see his signs in the heavens.

vs 4. what he did .. He did not fear... he did not seek gain for his own life... he sought only to do God's will. he sought only to keep his commandments.

vs 5 I will bless thee forever... wow.. what a thing to ponder. If we can learn to do God's will unselfishly... consistently.. and with unwearyness, we might just have a chance of having an eternal blessing.

What a thing to have the trust of God so that he knows that we would not ask anything contrary to the word of God. But to not ask for anything contrary to the word of God, you first have to know the word of God.

Corintumr's March/ Contention and Covenants

Helaman 1: 13-34

Quote: When one discovers the true meaning of contentment, they let go of the need for contention. LShaw

vs 18 And it came to pass that because of so much contention and so much difficulty in the government, that they had not kept sufficient guards in the land of Zarahemla; for they had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands to attack that great city Zarahemla.

Contention: A heated disagreement.

Quote: A house divided against itself cannot stand. Abraham Lincoln

I recently entertained a young boy visitor who played amid my yard, porch and home. While here there were a few instances that caused him concern. His earnest desire for justice caused a few "disagreements". He was quick to point out, "That is right. That is not right." When he could not understand why something that was right was not seen by everyone as being "right", his frustration mounted upon itself until we could help him understand or have others make amends.

As I watched him, I could see how easy it was for him to discern right from wrong. He knew it, he knew he knew it, and his frustration came when others did not agree with his sense of rightness, or worse when their viewpoints over facts were not the same as his.

Children learn about justice on a timeline. They have to experience certain events in their lives that help them learn about right and wrong. For my young visitor, it was easy for him to see how he viewed right and wrong, but for older children the concept changes as they mature and learn to see multiple viewpoints. Contention arise then when we are unable to see another's viewpoint, understand why their view may be different, or make amends for the differences.

With every disagreement comes the choice between arguing and discussion. Arguing leads to hurt feelings. Arguing leads to miscommunication. It leads to disorder that then leads to the letting of our guards down. We become distracted by the emotional turmoil in our lives and find that we are unable to protect what we hold most dear, the desires of our hearts, the love of our family, community, or nation.

Discussion that is free from selfishness or greed for power helps to open up lines of communication that brings multiple solutions to the problem. Discussion allows for all voices to be heard and all parties to meet their needs satisfactorily. It helps others find peace.

As I read the remainder of this chapter, I was struck how much turmoil entered into the city of Zarahemla after they began to disrespect and disavow their covenants with God. Pahoran Sn. was a mighty leader who fought for the liberty and freedom of all the citizens of Zarahemla. His sons seemed to forget this principal when they "contend" for their father's justice seat. In the end all three loose their lives. Why did this happen? Because they allowed contention to rule their lives.

When they forgot to keep their sacred covenants, their hearts turned away from what they held most dear and began to turn to lustful, selfish, prideful behavior. These then in turn fueled the fire to their arguing and having heated contentions

With contention ruling the emotional state of the city, the city was left unattended, unguarded, and wrong assumptions were made concerning their enemies. It was within one short year that Coriantumr was able to call an army, drive it into the heart of Zarahemla, and destroy not only the city, but it's government as well.

When you realize the speed at which it all occurred, it gives you cause for pause. When you take time to "liken" the scriptures you realize how dangerous a weapon contentious attitudes are. It is important to understand that in this story, the contention did not begin with the Lamanites. It began within the walls of the city of Zarahemla, within the walls of Pahorhan's family, within the government of the people. Contention led to the disavowment of sacred covenants. Contention led to the falling of the guards. Contention allowed hatred, jealousy, envy, and various other seeds of evil to grow within the hearts of those who entertained it.

When you are faced with a disagreement, an accusation, an inconvenience, a dislike, a wrong, how do you react? Do you entertain contentious attitudes that bring on arguments, anger, and the loss of protection from evil?

Words and Phrases

Coriantumr - descendant of Zarahemla (once righteous Nephite) strong, wise, quick

vs 18 because of so much contention - no guards and a lack of wise judgment on the part of the enemy.

If we take this story and liken it to our own hearts, how often do we allow contention to weaken our resolve to protect our most precious desires of righteousness and family? If I think back to the last time I did something that I truly regretted, contention usually led the way.

Contention makes it possible for us to turn a blind eye, to misjudge our enemy, and to allow the enemy to gain a foothold upon our heart.

vs 19 - no time to gather together their armies. - contention blinds us to the reality of the danger. Contention robs us of precious time with those we love. Contention causes us to not protect our homes, our hearts, and our family against that which will cut us down.

vs 20 Coriantumr did cut down - Coriantumr is like a disease that once it gets a foothold upon our being racks through all of our body until it destroys us. .. First the evil gains entrance, then it marches into the center of the body until it has possession of it.

vs 21 thus ended the days of Pacumeni - The first thing to go when disease or evil sets in is the government., the order, the hope of organization. Coriantumr slew the chief judge, by doing so he won the right to rule with chaos.

vs 22 go forth against all the land- Contention is never satisfied. If you doubt me consider the last argument you participated in. Someone is always trying to get the last word. Contention is never satisfied. Once it gains one body of ground, it continues onward to all it can conquer. To all who are unguarded.

vs 27 - slaying people with great slaughter - Contention knows no respect for whom it will destroy. It slays both women, children, men, weak, strong, whomever it can lay ahold of. Contention also makes no rational sense. If you look at the plan of attack of Coriantumr, you see it did not take into account the fortresses that surrounded Zarahemla, nor did he consider a plan of escape. Contention is arrogant, unyielding, and uncompromising to rational behavior.