Sunday, November 8, 2015

1 Nephi 7:20

20  And it came to pass that they were sorrowful, because of their wickedness, insomuch that they did bow down before me, and did plead with me that I would aforgive them of the thing that they had done against me.
            -anger is the antithesis of sorrow.  Both are profoundly deep emotions.  The differences between the two are humility, submission and a measured sense of accountability before God.  The same tragedy or circumstances can make a man angry (and then vengeful and hateful) or sorrowful.  The angry man looks to blame others for the condition while the man of sorrow recognizes his role/place in the circumstances as it relates to God’s will.  Sorrow trusts God  -that he is ultimately in charge, that he will make things right but these require a certain level of sophisticated faith.  Anger is one of the natural man’s most profound qualities.

     “they were sorrowful… did plead with me that I would forgive them”
            -against the context of everything we know about who Laman and Lemuel are (their behavior up to this point, what they will do and become in the future, etc.) this contrition is surprising, beautiful and also confusing.  What caused such a tremendous change in heart?  If they could experience such moral and spiritual alertness now, what does it indicate about their potential and why did this sensitivity not grow within them?  Clearly they are within the realm of feeling a moral influence upon them.  Clearly they are able to recognize right and wrong.  

      “did bow down.. (and).. plead with me (to) forgive them…”
            -the anger is subdued and the Spirit comes back to stir up their conscience to a point where they realize the grossness of their actions.  Anger is a blinding evil that rejects the presence of God.  It is sometimes more blinding than physical drunkenness.

 

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