FAVORED OF THE LORD

It only happened to me once in all the formal education classes I took between the ages of 6 and 38 which is probably the reason I can still recall the incident these many years later.

During my freshman year at Garden Grove Union High School one of the classes I took was Beginning Algebra. (Yes, I know this is now taken much earlier in 21st century curricula, but during the happy days it was not taught until the freshman year of High School.) Anyway, after a pop quiz one morning the girl I was sitting next to complained to our teacher Pop Eidelson (yes I see the irony of a pop quiz administered by a teacher named Pop) that I must have copied her paper since I had the right answers, but hadn’t shown the procedures which led to the answers. Pop gently explained to her, that all brains do not work the same and that I had one that could see the answers without writing down all the procedures. He then gently explained to me that in the future it would be a good thing if I wrote down all the steps leading to the correct answer. She was then adamant that she should have a higher grade since she had obeyed the rule to show all the work. And thus, even though I felt and knew Pop liked me very much, my grade was changed to reflect the lack of work shown. Bless her little strawberry picking heart!

In the 35th verse of chapter 17 of First Nephi we read a statement which seems to contradict itself – the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one – he that is righteous is favored of the Lord. I remember having a rather lengthy discussion with a student one year while teaching the Book of Mormon about this scripture. She was absolutely convinced that if we were obedient to God’s commandments he surely loved us more. Just as the girl sitting next to me in my Beginning Algebra class was convinced she should receive a higher grade because she had been obedient to the rule of always showing all the procedures.

The easiest and probably the best answer to these seemingly contradictive statements is that although Heavenly Father loves all his children equally, the law which governs that consequences will follow choices, demands that He favors us in different ways.

With the abundance of scriptural verses which support the idea that if we honor God he will Honor us and visa-versa, it is not difficult to see why someone would come to the conclusion that indeed the obedient are loved more than the disobedient, but there are an equally abundant number of verses supporting the unconditional and universal love that Heavenly Father and His son Jesus the Christ have for all of those who dwell on the earth.

This is one of those dilemma which when pondered sufficiently seems to add other Omni’s to all the Omni’s of Godliness, those being Omni-obedient and Omni-loving.

And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness. (1 Nephi: 17: 3)

AND

Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should possess it. And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the nations of the wicked. And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for their sakes

He ruleth high in the heavens, for it is his throne, and this earth is his footstool. And he loveth those who will have him to be their God. Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt. (1 Nephi 17: 36-40)

My premise would have been more easily made if Nephi had continued to use the word favored rather than loved, but, nevertheless, the connection between the choices we make and the corresponding consequences which result from them is a law which must be kept and regarded as sacred by an Omni-loving God who must also remain Omni-obedient.

A search of the scriptures wherein the words blessed or cursed are used will quickly makes it apparent that whichever consequence befalls us it is because of obedience or disobedience to the law which governs the choices we are making and not because of whether we are esteemed unequally by the Lord

It is interesting that these concepts were taught by Nephi because many in the family of Lehi doubted whether the Lord had commanded him to build a ship and even greater was their doubt that he would actually be able to build such a vessel capable of crossing the many waters.

To which Nephi responded: If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done. (1Nephi 17:50)

Throughout my Beginning Algebra class and continuing during my Advanced Algebra class I never took another Pop quiz where I wasn’t marked down if all the work were not shown, but I was never treated with anything but gentleness and kindness from Mr. Eidelson and I knew he liked the girl who sat next to me equally.

I never was given the vision of what Pop Eidelson saw in me, but I have suspected he saw what I was not capable of seeing at that time, and therefore would have not been surprised as the opportunities which unfolded in my life presented themselves. I also know there were many peers and teachers during those years at Garden Grove Union High School, who would have not only doubted I would have those opportunities, but would have had extreme doubts about my being able to bring about successful conclusions to those opportunities.
Of this truth I am convinced:

There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated – and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated. (Doctrines and Covenants 130: 20, 21)

Likewise I am convinced:

God is Omni-loving, For God is love. (1 John 4:8)


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY