1 Nephi 2:19
"And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart."
What do we learn about Nephi here? He has faith. That part is not a surprise. The important part is to see the corresponding actions that go with his faith. In Nephi's life, the faith he possesses is actually a catalyst that drives him to seek the Lord more. And we see here what happens when he seeks -- he finds.
As a parent, I can honestly say that the 'end' of this particular search is what I want for all of my children. I want them to 'FIND' the Lord. It doesn't have to be a vision, or a voice, or anything spectacular. But when they seek, I want them to feel the joy that comes when they know -- KNOW -- that the Lord is real.
* Teach them that if they will exercise their faith to seek the Lord diligently, they will find Him.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Lessons from 1 Nephi 2:17-18
1 Nephi 2:17-18
And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.
But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts I cried unto the Lord for them.
After Nephi's experience with prayer, he is so excited that he wants to tell his brothers. He tells Sam first, possibly because he saw Sam first, or possibly because he knew Sam and predicted that Sam would listen. But either way, Sam listens and believes.
He then ventures to tell Laman and Lemuel, hoping that his experience will soften their hearts as well, but it doesn't work. Nephi is grieved by this and cries to the Lord again -- this time FOR Laman and Lemuel. He doesn't pray for himself. He prays for them. This was actually impressive to me. Sometimes when we say things and nobody believes us, we feel rejected and need to pray for comfort because of all the rotten things people end up saying about US when we try to correct them. Not Nephi though. His own confidence is unshaken, and he prays for THEM.
Lessons:
* Teach your children to love each other. Hopefully they will love each other so much that they will want to SHARE their spiritual experiences with each other. Sam didn't necessarily have the proactive faith to ask for himself, but because Nephi was willing to share HIS experience and testimony, Sam benefited from it and was able to more easily believe the words of his father. Sometimes children listen to each other more readily than they listen to parents or leaders, so it is incredibly valuable to teach them to teach and testify to each other!
* Along with that, we must teach them to LISTEN to each other when they are sharing these kind of spiritual experiences or testifying. Sam was only able to benefit from Nephi's spiritual experience because he was willing to LISTEN to Nephi.
* Teach your children to pray for each other.
* Teach your children that even when you are doing the right thing, and even when you love people and share your spiritual experiences with them, they still might not listen to you or believe you. This is not a time to wallow in misery, but a time to turn to the Lord and pray for THEM.
And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.
But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts I cried unto the Lord for them.
After Nephi's experience with prayer, he is so excited that he wants to tell his brothers. He tells Sam first, possibly because he saw Sam first, or possibly because he knew Sam and predicted that Sam would listen. But either way, Sam listens and believes.
He then ventures to tell Laman and Lemuel, hoping that his experience will soften their hearts as well, but it doesn't work. Nephi is grieved by this and cries to the Lord again -- this time FOR Laman and Lemuel. He doesn't pray for himself. He prays for them. This was actually impressive to me. Sometimes when we say things and nobody believes us, we feel rejected and need to pray for comfort because of all the rotten things people end up saying about US when we try to correct them. Not Nephi though. His own confidence is unshaken, and he prays for THEM.
Lessons:
* Teach your children to love each other. Hopefully they will love each other so much that they will want to SHARE their spiritual experiences with each other. Sam didn't necessarily have the proactive faith to ask for himself, but because Nephi was willing to share HIS experience and testimony, Sam benefited from it and was able to more easily believe the words of his father. Sometimes children listen to each other more readily than they listen to parents or leaders, so it is incredibly valuable to teach them to teach and testify to each other!
* Along with that, we must teach them to LISTEN to each other when they are sharing these kind of spiritual experiences or testifying. Sam was only able to benefit from Nephi's spiritual experience because he was willing to LISTEN to Nephi.
* Teach your children to pray for each other.
* Teach your children that even when you are doing the right thing, and even when you love people and share your spiritual experiences with them, they still might not listen to you or believe you. This is not a time to wallow in misery, but a time to turn to the Lord and pray for THEM.
Lessons from 1 Nephi 2:16
1 Nephi 2:16
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.
This verse is amazing in that it gives us a little bit of insight into Nephi's own character, where the story up until this point has focused more on Lehi and the other members of the family. We get to see the contrast between how Laman and Lemuel respond to their father's call and how Nephi responds.
I love that Nephi describes himself as "having great desires to know of the mysteries of God," and that this great desire was the driving force behind his response, where he "did cry unto the Lord." It is actually very similar to the message we find in James 1:5 -- If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God... But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering..." That was Nephi. He had questions. He knew that he needed help understanding, so he asked God, with a heart full of faith, and he got his answer. He no longer had to trust only in his father; he could trust that his father had been called of God.
It is also interesting to me that Nephi says that his heart was softened, which vaguely implies that it NEEDED softening in the first place. It seems very probable to me that Nephi wasn't very excited about going into the desert either, but that this experience with prayer helped him to see more clearly, to a point where he did NOT rebel as he might have initially.
Lessons:
* Sometimes the most important thing our children need to know is WHERE the commandment comes from. It is a lot easier for them to rebel against their crazy parents, giving them crazy rules and directions, than it is for them to rebel against something they KNOW comes from God. (But make sure it really comes from God before you give them direction claiming it comes from God... Make sure you're not misinterpreting the commandments, or this can backfire in a big way!)
* For Nephi, it seems that one of the things that potentially CHANGED him the most, was that he was willing to go to the Lord with his questions instead of letting them fester to a point of rebellion. We need to teach our children that if they EVER doubt us, or if they EVER doubt what any of their other leaders are saying, then they can "cry unto the Lord" and He WILL answer.
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.
This verse is amazing in that it gives us a little bit of insight into Nephi's own character, where the story up until this point has focused more on Lehi and the other members of the family. We get to see the contrast between how Laman and Lemuel respond to their father's call and how Nephi responds.
I love that Nephi describes himself as "having great desires to know of the mysteries of God," and that this great desire was the driving force behind his response, where he "did cry unto the Lord." It is actually very similar to the message we find in James 1:5 -- If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God... But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering..." That was Nephi. He had questions. He knew that he needed help understanding, so he asked God, with a heart full of faith, and he got his answer. He no longer had to trust only in his father; he could trust that his father had been called of God.
It is also interesting to me that Nephi says that his heart was softened, which vaguely implies that it NEEDED softening in the first place. It seems very probable to me that Nephi wasn't very excited about going into the desert either, but that this experience with prayer helped him to see more clearly, to a point where he did NOT rebel as he might have initially.
Lessons:
* Sometimes the most important thing our children need to know is WHERE the commandment comes from. It is a lot easier for them to rebel against their crazy parents, giving them crazy rules and directions, than it is for them to rebel against something they KNOW comes from God. (But make sure it really comes from God before you give them direction claiming it comes from God... Make sure you're not misinterpreting the commandments, or this can backfire in a big way!)
* For Nephi, it seems that one of the things that potentially CHANGED him the most, was that he was willing to go to the Lord with his questions instead of letting them fester to a point of rebellion. We need to teach our children that if they EVER doubt us, or if they EVER doubt what any of their other leaders are saying, then they can "cry unto the Lord" and He WILL answer.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Lessons from 1 Nephi 2:15
1 Nephi 2:15
And my father dwelt in a tent.
From my earliest memories, this verse has intrigued me. At first it was simply that it had "only" seven words. This one and "Jesus wept" were some of my first memorized scriptures. Over the years I have often asked myself, "Why is this so important that Nephi bothered to point it out?" I still don't really know all the reasons, but here are some thoughts.
First, in the past, Lehi has NOT dwelt in a tent. He has presumably dwelt in the city of Jerusalem as a somewhat prosperous man. This verse, then, is in some ways a follow up to 2:4, where Lehi left all his comforts and possessions. His dwelling in a tent is symbolic of his willingness to humbly follow the Lord. It is as if Nephi is commenting on how much their lives have changed in these few days.
There also might be some kind of historical cultural significance to the place where the "father" of a family dwells. I don't know much about that, but perhaps there are rules or customs associated with taking care of the father or honoring him?
If you look at the footnotes for "tent" it takes you to verses about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- other "fathers" who dwelt in tents. Perhaps, then, Nephi is starting to recognize the significance of their being in tents, like the great patriarchs -- his father receiving direction and all of them beginning a physical and spiritual journey.
Also, in other places in the scriptures, the word "tent" is used almost synonymously with the word "tabernacle." There are enough other similarities to the Biblical Exodus that it would not surprise me if Lehi's dwelt in a "tabernacle" of sorts. And we know that the Nephites later built temples. Anyone know more about Old Testament customs here? Is that even a possibility? I am not sure, but it is interesting.
At any rate, Nephi tells us his father dwelt in a tent, and the very NEXT thing is a description of his own quest to understand the things of God. It makes me wonder if Lehi dwelling in a tent, with whatever symbolism it carried, contributed at least partially to Nephi's decision to "cry unto the Lord."
Now for the lesson...
* As a parent this tells me that our obedience, humility, and worshipful attitude can have a DIRECT impact on our children. It particularly affects them when they have questions or challenges in their lives. It determines how and where they turn for answers and helps to provide a foundation of faith when theirs might be lacking.
And my father dwelt in a tent.
From my earliest memories, this verse has intrigued me. At first it was simply that it had "only" seven words. This one and "Jesus wept" were some of my first memorized scriptures. Over the years I have often asked myself, "Why is this so important that Nephi bothered to point it out?" I still don't really know all the reasons, but here are some thoughts.
First, in the past, Lehi has NOT dwelt in a tent. He has presumably dwelt in the city of Jerusalem as a somewhat prosperous man. This verse, then, is in some ways a follow up to 2:4, where Lehi left all his comforts and possessions. His dwelling in a tent is symbolic of his willingness to humbly follow the Lord. It is as if Nephi is commenting on how much their lives have changed in these few days.
There also might be some kind of historical cultural significance to the place where the "father" of a family dwells. I don't know much about that, but perhaps there are rules or customs associated with taking care of the father or honoring him?
If you look at the footnotes for "tent" it takes you to verses about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob -- other "fathers" who dwelt in tents. Perhaps, then, Nephi is starting to recognize the significance of their being in tents, like the great patriarchs -- his father receiving direction and all of them beginning a physical and spiritual journey.
Also, in other places in the scriptures, the word "tent" is used almost synonymously with the word "tabernacle." There are enough other similarities to the Biblical Exodus that it would not surprise me if Lehi's dwelt in a "tabernacle" of sorts. And we know that the Nephites later built temples. Anyone know more about Old Testament customs here? Is that even a possibility? I am not sure, but it is interesting.
At any rate, Nephi tells us his father dwelt in a tent, and the very NEXT thing is a description of his own quest to understand the things of God. It makes me wonder if Lehi dwelling in a tent, with whatever symbolism it carried, contributed at least partially to Nephi's decision to "cry unto the Lord."
Now for the lesson...
* As a parent this tells me that our obedience, humility, and worshipful attitude can have a DIRECT impact on our children. It particularly affects them when they have questions or challenges in their lives. It determines how and where they turn for answers and helps to provide a foundation of faith when theirs might be lacking.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Lessons from 1 Nephi 2:14
2 Nephi 2:14
And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them.
* I love this example of Lehi showing the fortitude to speak to Laman and Lemuel when they are murmuring. There will be times when it is necessary to correct our children. I am reminded of the story in the Old Testament of Samuel and Eli. Eli's sons were behaving in a manner that rivaled the murmuring of Laman and Lemuel. Eli, though, was not willing to correct his sons. He was not willing to "speak with power, being filled with the Spirit," and the consequences were pretty unfavorable for everyone involved.
* HOWEVER, it is important to notice the correlation between being filled with the Spirit and being able to speak with power. If we really want to be able to speak to our children with POWER, then the source of that power needs to be the Spirit. That Spirit will direct us to give the correction appropriately -- gently and lovingly, but boldly and clearly. (See D&C 121:41-44) We MUST do whatever it takes to have the Spirit with us.
* This verse says that afterwards, Laman and Lemuel "durst not" murmur anymore, and they started "doing" as Lehi had commanded them. It is unclear to me whether this implies a change of heart, or whether they are just scared of the consequences. My impression is that they have not stopped THINKING their utterings, they've just stopped saying them. And despite DOING as Lehi commanded them, I bet they are not very happy about it. But I guess it's a start, and Lehi has done everything he was supposed to do at this point. Thus he is no longer accountable for Laman and Lemuel exercising their agency.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Lessons from 1 Nephi 2:12-13
1 Nephi 2:12-13
12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.
13 Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father.
In these verses, a few things stand out to me. First, I feel like Nephi is trying to illustrate the level of infidelity involved in Laman and Lemuel's behavior by reminding us that they are the eldest and that Lehi is their father.
In our society today, perhaps we read about Laman and Lemuel and just picture a couple of smart-mouthed teenagers talking back to their parents, but Nephi is trying to tell us that this is bigger than that. We're talking about birthright here, and a cultural/religious respect for parents that is not just an expectation but a way of life. And they are disregarding those things completely. Nephi is truly SHOCKED at what it reveals about them but is able to explain it a little bit to us.
He recognizes that THIS kind of murmuring is not just superficial whining about the temporary discomforts of being in the wilderness. It stems from a deep, deep, DEEP lack of spiritual knowledge.
For starters, he says that they "knew not the dealings of that God who had created them." If you look at the cross reference for this verse, it takes you to Moses 4:6 where Satan is beguiling Eve because he, Satan, "knows not the mind of God." Now THAT is an interesting comparison.
He continues in the next verse by telling us that "neither did they believe" that the great city of Jerusalem could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets.
So.
They don't believe the prophets. They DO believe their friends. They trust the strength of a CITY over the strength of their CREATOR. Can you see how Nephi is shaking his head in bewilderment as he tells us that these guys just DON'T GET IT. I repeat what he said in verse 12 -- they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.
So what do we learn from that as parents?
* FIRST, just because we teach something does NOT mean that they know it. Obviously, they will be more LIKELY to know it if we teach it, but somewhere, somehow, Laman and Lemuel did NOT learn "the dealings of God." (i.e., Don't blame yourself!)
* That said, do your best to provide opportunities for the SPIRIT to teach them "the dealings of God." This is not one of those things that we can fake-teach using our own wisdom. They will just NOT learn it unless they learn it by the Spirit.
* Teach them that no city or worldly invention of man can compete with "that God who created them."
* Teach them to listen to the prophets. Always.... Now, I don't mean that they have to put Pres. Monson on their iPod and listen to him 24-7. But if the prophets (including the Q of 12) give them instruction, they should unfailingly try to follow their counsel.
* And especially for our day, in our politically charged environment, teach them how to appropriately respond when they feel like they disagree with something that is said by one of those men. "Killing the prophet" or even just "murmuring" until we've drowned out their words is NOT the answer. (In fact, what if we think of "murdering" as killing the prophets, and "murmuring" as killing the chance for people to obey them. Pretty serious, eh?)
* (As a continuation of the last point) teach them that murmuring PREVENTS us from knowing the dealings of God. I love Isaiah 29:24, (repeated in 2 Nephi 27:35), where he tells us that "... they that murmured shall learn doctrine." To me, this says that if you want to "know the dealings of God" one of the prerequisites is that we control the tendency to murmur.
12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.
13 Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father.
In these verses, a few things stand out to me. First, I feel like Nephi is trying to illustrate the level of infidelity involved in Laman and Lemuel's behavior by reminding us that they are the eldest and that Lehi is their father.
In our society today, perhaps we read about Laman and Lemuel and just picture a couple of smart-mouthed teenagers talking back to their parents, but Nephi is trying to tell us that this is bigger than that. We're talking about birthright here, and a cultural/religious respect for parents that is not just an expectation but a way of life. And they are disregarding those things completely. Nephi is truly SHOCKED at what it reveals about them but is able to explain it a little bit to us.
He recognizes that THIS kind of murmuring is not just superficial whining about the temporary discomforts of being in the wilderness. It stems from a deep, deep, DEEP lack of spiritual knowledge.
For starters, he says that they "knew not the dealings of that God who had created them." If you look at the cross reference for this verse, it takes you to Moses 4:6 where Satan is beguiling Eve because he, Satan, "knows not the mind of God." Now THAT is an interesting comparison.
He continues in the next verse by telling us that "neither did they believe" that the great city of Jerusalem could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets.
So.
They don't believe the prophets. They DO believe their friends. They trust the strength of a CITY over the strength of their CREATOR. Can you see how Nephi is shaking his head in bewilderment as he tells us that these guys just DON'T GET IT. I repeat what he said in verse 12 -- they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.
So what do we learn from that as parents?
* FIRST, just because we teach something does NOT mean that they know it. Obviously, they will be more LIKELY to know it if we teach it, but somewhere, somehow, Laman and Lemuel did NOT learn "the dealings of God." (i.e., Don't blame yourself!)
* That said, do your best to provide opportunities for the SPIRIT to teach them "the dealings of God." This is not one of those things that we can fake-teach using our own wisdom. They will just NOT learn it unless they learn it by the Spirit.
* Teach them that no city or worldly invention of man can compete with "that God who created them."
* Teach them to listen to the prophets. Always.... Now, I don't mean that they have to put Pres. Monson on their iPod and listen to him 24-7. But if the prophets (including the Q of 12) give them instruction, they should unfailingly try to follow their counsel.
* And especially for our day, in our politically charged environment, teach them how to appropriately respond when they feel like they disagree with something that is said by one of those men. "Killing the prophet" or even just "murmuring" until we've drowned out their words is NOT the answer. (In fact, what if we think of "murdering" as killing the prophets, and "murmuring" as killing the chance for people to obey them. Pretty serious, eh?)
* (As a continuation of the last point) teach them that murmuring PREVENTS us from knowing the dealings of God. I love Isaiah 29:24, (repeated in 2 Nephi 27:35), where he tells us that "... they that murmured shall learn doctrine." To me, this says that if you want to "know the dealings of God" one of the prerequisites is that we control the tendency to murmur.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Lessons from 1 Nephi 2:6-11
1 Nephi 2:6-11
6 And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.
7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.
8 And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.
9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!
10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!
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.
This interaction is one of my favorites.
Think about what is happening here. Lehi has just left behind everything -- comfortable home, possessions, friends and family (probably), and has been traveling for three days in the wilderness, presumably without stopping. Furthermore, based on verses 11-12, it seems that Laman and Lemuel have been murmuring the whole time, so it cannot have been a pleasant little seaside trip with the family.
When they do finally stop, the first thing Lehi does is gather rocks to build an altar, and then he makes an offering to the Lord -- to give thanks. He has already given up everything, and now he is offering up more.
And THEN, rather than forcefully silence Laman and Lemuel (which they would like to do to Lehi,) he finds the two most distinctive features of the area and lovingly names them after his murmuring, stubborn, complaining, ungrateful sons -- just so he could take advantage of the teaching moment.
Perhaps Lehi noticed that, except for the directional component, stiffneckedness is actually quite similar to steadfastness. Perhaps with his loving, fatherly perspective, he saw that if Laman and Lemuel's zealous energy could be harnessed for good, they would be unstoppable. His counsel to Laman, then, talks of persistent directional choices -- continually running into the fountain of all righteousness. And his counsel to Lemuel speaks of unbending righteous fortitude -- firm, steadfast, immovable in keeping the commandments.
* Sometimes you need to take a break -- pitch the tent. You won't make it to the promised land all in one day.
* Love your children enough to overlook their murmuring sometimes.
* Pray first. Your relationship with the Lord is more important than your relationship with your kids, and He might even help you know what to say.
* Teach children gratitude. Gratitude helps prevent murmuring.
* Notice their (children's) positive character traits, even when they seem to be exhibiting only negative ones.
* Choose carefully the timing and phrasing of the things you say. The same thing might have more impact if you wait until the 'time is right.'
* Look for examples of goodness all around you. There are infinite teaching moments available if we will look for them.
6 And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.
7 And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.
8 And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.
9 And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!
10 And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!
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.
This interaction is one of my favorites.
Think about what is happening here. Lehi has just left behind everything -- comfortable home, possessions, friends and family (probably), and has been traveling for three days in the wilderness, presumably without stopping. Furthermore, based on verses 11-12, it seems that Laman and Lemuel have been murmuring the whole time, so it cannot have been a pleasant little seaside trip with the family.
When they do finally stop, the first thing Lehi does is gather rocks to build an altar, and then he makes an offering to the Lord -- to give thanks. He has already given up everything, and now he is offering up more.
And THEN, rather than forcefully silence Laman and Lemuel (which they would like to do to Lehi,) he finds the two most distinctive features of the area and lovingly names them after his murmuring, stubborn, complaining, ungrateful sons -- just so he could take advantage of the teaching moment.
Perhaps Lehi noticed that, except for the directional component, stiffneckedness is actually quite similar to steadfastness. Perhaps with his loving, fatherly perspective, he saw that if Laman and Lemuel's zealous energy could be harnessed for good, they would be unstoppable. His counsel to Laman, then, talks of persistent directional choices -- continually running into the fountain of all righteousness. And his counsel to Lemuel speaks of unbending righteous fortitude -- firm, steadfast, immovable in keeping the commandments.
* Sometimes you need to take a break -- pitch the tent. You won't make it to the promised land all in one day.
* Love your children enough to overlook their murmuring sometimes.
* Pray first. Your relationship with the Lord is more important than your relationship with your kids, and He might even help you know what to say.
* Teach children gratitude. Gratitude helps prevent murmuring.
* Notice their (children's) positive character traits, even when they seem to be exhibiting only negative ones.
* Choose carefully the timing and phrasing of the things you say. The same thing might have more impact if you wait until the 'time is right.'
* Look for examples of goodness all around you. There are infinite teaching moments available if we will look for them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
