You Only Have Two Hands

In Alma 39, Alma is talking to his son Corianton about many different things, repentance and self-mastery being among them.  He tells his son to "refrain from your iniquities" and advises him to return to those whose hearts he has lead away and "acknowledge your faults and that wrong which ye have done."  Then in verse 14 he says:

"Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for behold, you cannot carry them with you."

I have always thought of advice like that as referring to death and "carrying" things into the afterlife.  Perhaps that is what Alma meant, but when I read that scripture, I was picturing Corianton going among his fellow man, trying to right wrongs and accomplish good.  Because of that, I saw this verse differently this time.  As I thought about it, a picture of Isaac came into my mind.  You see, my son, Isaac, often carries around beads, or some little toy to play with as he goes throughout his day.  When I ask him to do something, he tries to complete the task with said object still in his hand.

So this morning while pondering this scripture, I can see Isaac in my mind's eye trying to clean up the living room thus encumbered.  I can see how ineffectual he is.  I can see how much more he would accomplish if he would set down that vain, or in other words, unimportant thing.  If he would put it aside, then the goal he is working toward would be accomplished much more quickly and with less frustration on his part.

I wonder if we could take Alma's advice as being like that which I say often to my kids--"You only have two hands.  You don't need that __________ so put it down and get on with life." I say it often enough that I heard Isaac tell his brother the other day to "get on with life!"

I know I can only do so much with my "two hands" of time and energy.  Perhaps I need to look at what I am carrying with me that is stopping me from getting on with my life as I want to live it each day.  If I can do that, if I can put down that which is not important, then I can work more effectively towards my goal of becoming like my Savior with a little less frustration on my part.