GOOD CHILDREN – BAD CHILDREN

If the theme of there being a good force along with the existence of a bad force were only to be found in those religions which claim their roots through Moses, Abraham, Jesus the Christ and Mohamad, it would have to warrant some investigation by anyone who was an honest investigator of the challenges we face in mortality. However, since we also find this to be a major theme in the ancient European and American religions and those originating in Africa, India and Asia, we must come to the conclusion that the world has been inundated with this principle from earliest of existence.

In Judaism and Christianity this theme is often represented by a good brother and a bad brother with the same parentage. We begin with Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac (maybe not the best of examples because of difference of opinion in the teachings of Islam and Judaism) along with a host of brothers who were sons of kings.

One of those doctrines traditional Christians have with the gospel as restored by Joseph Smith is the existence of a good brother represented by Jehovah and a bad brother represented by Lucifer as being the major voices in the verbal war which took place in our Heavenly Parents Abode during the creative period of our earthly home. Being one of those who adhere to this doctrine, I am able to proclaim that this theme is indeed older than the dirt of this planet.

From the beginning chapters of 1st Nephi until the final words of Moroni in the last chapters of the Book of Mormon a major thread and a very prevalent theme predominates because the good brothers Nephi and Sam were introduced and contrasted dramatically in their makeup from the bad brothers Laman and Lemuel.

Although the concepts of what constitutes a good brother and what constitutes a bad brother continue throughout the Book of Mormon, in the seventh chapter of 1st Nephi we find a fairly comprehensive list of the characteristics of both groups. I will resist the temptation to include all the references to the distinct characteristics of the two groups.

Since we have become a society of equal opportunity and sometimes blame, I will from this point forward call them good children and bad children. I think this nomenclature is valid since Nephi refers to the wives of Laman and Lemuel and their posterity (non-gender term) as having the same dispositions and characteristics and the wives of Nephi and Sam and their posterity as being inclined to have similar natures as their husbands.

I think we also need to point out that during the 1000 years of history written about in the Book of Mormon the familial makeup of the good children and the bad children exchange their gene pool so much, that we come to understand that being of one group of the other has little to do with DNA, but everything to do with an individual’s use of their Agency.

Now after this exhaustive and perhaps exhausting introduction, I will attempt to present the predominant choices or characteristics of those who have moved toward being bad children and those whose choices have caused them be identified in the good children category.

Whoops, one more little comment before I present the lists. It is important to understand, that as long as we are taking breath as mortal or immortal beings, we will continue to have the opportunity and ability to alter our choices and, therefore, alter our membership in the group with which we are identified.

And hopefully one last thought, my personal belief is that since all according to Paul, the ancient Apostle of the Lord, are not without sin. Therefore, it follows that all of us are not without goodness. In fact I suspect all of us have long ago lost track of the number of times we have made either good choices or bad choices.

Characteristic of those who make Bad Choices

Harden their hearts against the promptings of the Holy Spirit

Minds are blinded by the craftiness of men

Reject the words of the Lord’s prophets and servants

Repentance is often followed by a return to former waywardness

Forget or ignore the blessings they have received

Forget or reject the workings of the Lord during mortality

Do not hearken unto the Lord, the Holy Spirit or His servants

The nature of the natural man is comfortable to them

Easily moved to jealousy

Enjoy carnality and pleasures of the flesh

Overcome with ingratitude

Manipulate by force or deceit

Rebellious

Sorrowful

Believe the ends justify the means

Reject the idea that others might be inspired

Reject the leadership of the Lord’s anointed

Believe others are to blame for the injustices which have befallen them

Believe (I have to point out the irony here) that God has treated them unjustly

Arrive at the point where the Spirit ceases to strive with them

Characteristics of those who make Good Choices

Hearts are softened

Have faith in the existence of Deity

Faithful to their covenants

Quick to turn from evil

Hearken unto the voice of the Lord and His servants

Keep in remembrance the blessings of the Lord

Acknowledge and remember the workings of the Lord in their lives

Continue in their stewardships even when confronted with opposition

Recognize their weaknesses and shortcomings

Take accountability and responsibility for mistakes

Have faith that with the Lord nothing is impossible

Seek forgiveness

Readily forgive others

Prayerful

Remember the hand of the Lord in all their doings

Thankful for all things

Give thanks for all blessings

Submit to the will of the Lord and his appointed stewards

Seek the direction of the Holy Spirit in all their doings

Seek to be a good and faithful servant

Personally, I don't have to search very deeply into my list of variable choice making, to discover that I still have too many moments when I struggle with some of the items on the bad choice list and gratefully, I find some items on the good choice list where I have made some progress. I still have too much Lemuel and not enough Sam in my makeup to even imagine I can think of hearing the words, ‘well done my good and faithful servant’, when I return to my eternal abode.

I suspect there are relatively few mortals who would have perfect marks of eschewing the bad choices and embracing the good choices, but even if you have arrived at the point where you have become a good and honorable person of the world and are making zero bad choices and only good choices, there is yet a far piece to journey before you begin to be perfect like your Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus the Christ are perfect. But that is a list for another Sabbath Day Thought.


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY