Saturday, October 21, 2017

3 Nephi 3:11 -- On Wronging Ourselves

"And now it came to pass when Lachoneus received this epistle he was exceedingly astonished, because of the boldness of Giddianhi demanding the possession of the land of the Nephites, and also of threatening the people and avenging the wrongs of those that had received no wrong, save it were they had wronged themselves by dissenting away unto those wicked and abominable robbers."
3 Nephi 3:11


This is part of a story where the bad-guy Gadianton robbers are demanding that the good-guy Nephites surrender and give up everything they have and are.  It's an interesting read, but what struck me about it this time is the statement here "avenging the wrongs of those who had received no wrong, save it were they had wronged themselves."  This strikes me as applying to *so* much more than just this story.  ... So often, don't we blame the bad things in our lives on external influences, when, if we're being honest with ourselves, *we* are actually the ones who caused them?

My purpose here is of course not to make us feel horrible about ourselves.  It's a good reminder though that the source of hope and joy in our lives is never finding vengeance or stomping on others.  It is rather cleaning up our lives, improving, helping others, and following God's path. :)

Today, let's be sure not to wrong ourselves.  Let's admit our own weaknesses and mistakes, and make the effort to go before God and repent, and ask him to help us change, rather than hardening our hearts and trying to blame other people or circumstances.  Even when bad things happen that we can't do anything about, going to God about it always a better option than becoming a bad guy in someone else's life.  Let's stay the good guys that we should be.

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