-We cannot heed what the world says,
we give them power by listening. See Alma
60:28
-Just a
few verses earlier Nephi had said he was going to paraphrase his father and then
began to do so but all of a sudden we find a direct quote. It is as if Nephi is saying, “This is key, it
is really important, so listen up!” He
paraphrases much, but this is too important to be condensed.
“as many as
heeded”
-that is
a powerful (unequivocal, no room for exceptions) statement. It is almost the statement of a law: all who heeded fell away –or– if you heed you
will fall. It does not say, “some” or
“most” who heeded… I think we are being given a warning or directive.
“as many as
heeded them, had fallen away.”
-there is
much said here that is not said. This
could have been stated:
as
many as let go of the rod fell away, or
as
many as walked toward the building fell away, or
as
many as didn’t quite get to the fruit fell away, or
(any other action) fell away,
BUT
the words used and the message sent to us is found in the
concept of “heeded”. Listening (or
heeding) seems so innocent (certainly it can’t hurt just to hear it out) so much
less dangerous than letting go of the rod, or walking toward the building or
not quite eating the fruit. Perhaps
though these latter manifestations are but outgrowths of the more primary act
of simply “heeding”! What a powerful
lesson we are being taught by having been shown the importance of never giving
space to the voices, temptations, rationales, arguments, etc. in the most
initial stage.
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