Previously I had tried to pace my Book of Mormon reading with my ability to blog but I have given that up now that it gave me trouble so often and so long, but I marked things and recorded things as I pondered and prayed. Writing the blog posts often help me get things more clear in my mind so I'm going to treat this blog a little differently now. Instead of it being a journal that follows what I'm currently reading in the scriptures, I am going to use it as another place to ponder things (hopefully posting at least once a week) because I do want to finish recording things I have learned from studying the Book of Mormon. If it is helpful to anyone else that would make me smile. If not, well, I'm sorry it didn't turn out to be the kind of blog I set out for it to be.
On that note I would like to look at 3 Nephi 12 today. This is still the Savior's visit to the Nephites. He is teaching them about the higher law when he says in 3 Nephi 12:25:
"Agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him, lest at any time he shall get thee, and thou shalt be cast into prison."This was a rather confusing scripture to me until I read the New Testament and discovered how very helpful footnotes can be. The footnote next to "agree" in this scripture refers us to Matthew 5:26-26 which says pretty much the same thing as is found in 3 Nephi, but the footnote of that verse is quite helpful. It gives a Greek translation which informs us that the scripture really means to say:
"Quickly have kind thoughts for, or be well disposed toward, thine adversary..."It makes a lot more sense to me that way. Still, being me, I have plenty more questions to ponder on with this verse. It warns of being cast into prison. Why does it use that reference? Is it warning against the fact that holding a grudge will keep me from spirit paradise? Does it mean that if I'm not well disposed toward my adversary, an argument could lead to real physical violence or trouble that would actually get me thrown in jail?
Now, I'm more inclined to believe this scripture is referring to spiritual matters just because of the context of the chapter that it is in, but I am learning not to stop myself when my brain starts firing questions at me. I used to think some questions were bad to think about. I used to stop certain questions mid-thought and feel bad they even started to form in my head. Questions like "What if this is all a bunch of made up stuff?" used to never make it to the pondering stage. I thought it denoted a lack of faith. Now however I can let those questions come because I have faith enough in my Father in Heaven to know that He will answer them. He knows me and He will lead me to the answer in a way that I will understand. I know He will do this because this isn't a bunch of made up stuff, but I have only become solidly sure of that since I let myself really ponder on it. I have noticed of late that when I'm in Gospel Principles class and the teacher asks me for my thoughts on our discussion, I always have more questions than I have answers. I think that is OK, in fact I think it may be one of the reasons I have learned so much more about the gospel in recent years than I ever have before. Questions really are marvelous things.
