Spiritual Insights

As I've been re-reading the Book of Mormon again I've been trying not to just skim over it, but to be deliberate in seeking new perspectives or insights. This morning it didn't take long before I found verses to ponder in 1 Nephi, chapter 16.

There are multiple mentions of Lehi dwelling in a tent, and in verse 6 it says, "my father dwelt in a tent in the valley which he called Lemuel." It goes on to speak of how Nephi and his brothers took the daughters of Ishmael as wives, a necessary step for ensuring posterity. This made me think of how we sometimes have to "dwell in a tent" in a temporary place on our journey. It isn't until everything necessary is in place that our journey can continue. Sometimes our sojourn "in a tent" or in a wilderness is short, others times prolonged. "Dwelling in a tent" can be uncomfortable and inconvenient. It might mean that we've given up or lost things of value in our life. To top it off, the journey itself is often frustrating, scary, and difficult, so getting stuck "in a tent" can feel like adding insult to injury. Knowing the outcome of Lehi and Nephi's story gives me hope, though. It clearly demonstrates that if we listen to the Lord and do the things He is guiding us to do, He will eventually lead us to our "promised land."

Another small insight came in verse 12 when it said, "we did depart into the wilderness, across the river Laman." The river was named after Lehi's oldest son, Laman, but could the name also have symbolism? Laman has come to be associated with rebelliousness, and this verse made me think of how we sometimes have to cross over a river of rebelliousness in order to continue our journey.

In verse 16 it speaks of how the family followed the directions of the Liahona, or compass-like ball the Lord provided. The ball led them in the "more fertile parts of the wilderness." When we follow the Lord's guidance, He takes us to fertile areas, even when they are in our own "wilderness." His tender mercies are with us even in our most challenging times.

The last insight of chapter 16 is in verse 38, when Laman is speaking of his perception of Nephi, and how he believes that Nephi is trying to be a king and ruler over the group. Even though Nephi had done nothing that was not in the best interest of the family, Laman constantly felt threatened and belittled by the fact that the Lord had chosen his younger brother to be their leader. Never mind the fact that Nephi was willing to seek out the Lord and trust in His guidance. All that Laman could see was that someone lesser than himself was being put in charge of him. This severely rankled him, as is shown throughout the remainder of the story. What strikes me most about this is that Laman's biggest problem was pride. He couldn't bear the idea of someone else telling him what to do, whether that was Nephi, or the Lord Himself. He thought he knew what was best, and he had a really hard time accepting counsel. This is a pretty normal human trait, but Laman's example shows us how a negative trait can turn into a serious stumbling block if we're not careful to keep it in check.