And this is not all, my son. Thou didst do that which was grievous unto me; for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go over into the land of Siron among the borders of the Laminates, after the harlot Isabel.
Yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldest have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted.
So much scope here for the imagination. Corianton's first mistake was not tending to his duty. This is such a powerful lesson for a man. When he is at work, he should work. When he is at home, he should be a husband and a father. When he is at church, he should worship and serve. A man has something to be doing. He should do it. Idleness can kill spiritual progress very quickly. Idleness often leads to mischief. Any four-year-old can be an example of that. It doesn't really change for a forty-year-old.
Why was it no excuse for him? Why not all the other men who presumable followed after her? Because Corianton was ordained. He had the priesthood. He had a duty.
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Sunday, November 12, 2017
Alma 38 - Capacity
Lately, I have been focusing on capacity. My fasts and my prayers have been to plead for capacity to see my children for who they are and look past their attitude, behavior, crying, and whining and see them for their diving potential.
I noticed today in my scripture reading of alma 38 that Alma counsels his son, Shiblon, that in order to be filled with love, it is necessary for him to bridle his passion. I have always considered that good advice for a hormonal teenager or pre-mission child or dating-for-marriage returned missionary: true love is not passion, it is just love. Passion will completely get in the way of love, the Spirit, and peace. Bridle the passion, the hormones, the sex drive, the lust, and let love dictate your actions. Love is patient, and seeks the good of others, and obedient to God's commandments.
Perhaps there is another application for parents, although the above is still good advice for a married man. Perhaps he passions that I need to bridle are annoyance, anger, frustration, criticism, cynicism, impatience, etc. I am not all of those things all the time, but I am often employing one of those to my children. The thought is that maybe by actively seeking to bridle, or restrain, those feelings, I will be filled with love. I will have more room to love them. It will be easier for me to see the good.
A temperate man is one to be envied. A man who in all seasons can control himself and keep his calm. A man who can employ a level head and a fixed determination. I want to be that bridled, controlled sort of man.
I noticed today in my scripture reading of alma 38 that Alma counsels his son, Shiblon, that in order to be filled with love, it is necessary for him to bridle his passion. I have always considered that good advice for a hormonal teenager or pre-mission child or dating-for-marriage returned missionary: true love is not passion, it is just love. Passion will completely get in the way of love, the Spirit, and peace. Bridle the passion, the hormones, the sex drive, the lust, and let love dictate your actions. Love is patient, and seeks the good of others, and obedient to God's commandments.
Perhaps there is another application for parents, although the above is still good advice for a married man. Perhaps he passions that I need to bridle are annoyance, anger, frustration, criticism, cynicism, impatience, etc. I am not all of those things all the time, but I am often employing one of those to my children. The thought is that maybe by actively seeking to bridle, or restrain, those feelings, I will be filled with love. I will have more room to love them. It will be easier for me to see the good.
A temperate man is one to be envied. A man who in all seasons can control himself and keep his calm. A man who can employ a level head and a fixed determination. I want to be that bridled, controlled sort of man.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)