"But it came to pass in the ninetieth year of the reign of the judges, there were great signs given unto the people, and wonders; and the words of the prophets began to be fulfilled.
And angels did appear unto men, wise men, and did declare unto them glad tidings of great joy; thus in this year the scriptures began to be fulfilled.
Nevertheless, the people began to harden their hearts, all save it were the most believing part of them, both of the Nephites and also of the Lamanites, and began to depend upon their own strength and upon their own wisdom, saying:
Some things they may have guessed right, among so many; but behold, we know that all these great and marvelous works cannot come to pass, of which has been spoken."
Helaman 16:13-16
We're so stubborn sometimes, aren't we? This was the time, in the Book of Mormon, when Christ was to be born... in Jerusalem, far away from these people. And the signs that were foretold by the prophets come, and angels were appearing to people, and still... no, no... it still can't be true. The chapter goes on with other reasons why they wouldn't believe, including the argument that Christ must not actually be coming, or else he would come here, to us.
Don't we do the same thing in our lives? We get so desensitized to the spirit sometimes. We let the doubt and mistrust of the world seep into us, so that we're not just protecting ourselves from being cheated or lied to, but we're protecting ourselves from legitimate trust, and love, and friendship. We put up walls against believing the lies that we hear around us every day, but sometimes we build them so thick and high that we can't hope or see the wonder in the world anymore.
Today, let's let some of our guard down and try to find a balance between protecting ourselves and letting people in. Even while we're trying not to hand out our bank information or social security numbers, let's find a way to trust, and love, and listen to God. The spirit can help us tell truth from error. Let's listen to it, and be willing to risk a little more and find the true miracles in the world, including friendship and honesty. Yes, we might get hurt occasionally. We might even get cheated once in a while... but risk is part of learning to love and trust and live. And when Angels come and prophecy is fulfilled... we need to be ready to see that for what it is, instead of immediately dismissing it as a trick. :) With God's help, let's find that balance in our lives where we can be safe and still sensitive to the spirit, and open to the people around us.
And angels did appear unto men, wise men, and did declare unto them glad tidings of great joy; thus in this year the scriptures began to be fulfilled.
Nevertheless, the people began to harden their hearts, all save it were the most believing part of them, both of the Nephites and also of the Lamanites, and began to depend upon their own strength and upon their own wisdom, saying:
Some things they may have guessed right, among so many; but behold, we know that all these great and marvelous works cannot come to pass, of which has been spoken."
Helaman 16:13-16
We're so stubborn sometimes, aren't we? This was the time, in the Book of Mormon, when Christ was to be born... in Jerusalem, far away from these people. And the signs that were foretold by the prophets come, and angels were appearing to people, and still... no, no... it still can't be true. The chapter goes on with other reasons why they wouldn't believe, including the argument that Christ must not actually be coming, or else he would come here, to us.
Don't we do the same thing in our lives? We get so desensitized to the spirit sometimes. We let the doubt and mistrust of the world seep into us, so that we're not just protecting ourselves from being cheated or lied to, but we're protecting ourselves from legitimate trust, and love, and friendship. We put up walls against believing the lies that we hear around us every day, but sometimes we build them so thick and high that we can't hope or see the wonder in the world anymore.
Today, let's let some of our guard down and try to find a balance between protecting ourselves and letting people in. Even while we're trying not to hand out our bank information or social security numbers, let's find a way to trust, and love, and listen to God. The spirit can help us tell truth from error. Let's listen to it, and be willing to risk a little more and find the true miracles in the world, including friendship and honesty. Yes, we might get hurt occasionally. We might even get cheated once in a while... but risk is part of learning to love and trust and live. And when Angels come and prophecy is fulfilled... we need to be ready to see that for what it is, instead of immediately dismissing it as a trick. :) With God's help, let's find that balance in our lives where we can be safe and still sensitive to the spirit, and open to the people around us.
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