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Home»Articles»Lehi’s Firm Compassion via Junior Ganymede
Articles November 5, 20175 Mins Read

Lehi’s Firm Compassion via Junior Ganymede

The following was written by G. at Junior Ganymede on Nov 2, 2017.

After Lehi’s boys went off to Jerusalem on their dangerous mission, Sariah, mother-like, started to imagine all that could go wrong. She expressed her worry by attacking her husband.

For she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness; and she also had complained against my father, telling him that he was a visionary man; saying:

Behold thou hast led us forth from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we perish in the wilderness.

And after this manner of language had my mother complained against my father.

Lehi’s response is something we can learn from.

And it had come to pass that my father spake unto her, saying:

I know that I am a visionary man; for if I had not seen the things of God in a vision I should not have known the goodness of God, but had tarried at Jerusalem, and had perished with my brethren.

But behold, I have obtained a land of promise, in the which things I do rejoice; yea, and I know that the Lord will deliver my sons out of the hands of Laban, and bring them down again unto us in the wilderness.

And after this manner of language did my father, Lehi, comfort my mother, Sariah.*

First, Lehi started by agreeing with her. But not in a submissive or truckling way. He took what she had said that was true, proclaimed its truth, and tied it back [into] the big picture that his wife was losing sight of. He did not apologize where no apology was necessary. He did not placate. But at the same time, he acted to comfort her.

It may seem odd that you comfort someone by showing that you are confident in your mission. But its no odder than taking an attack as evidence that someone needs [comforting]. The truth is that people–women, but not just women–often complain and attack when they are feeling unsettled and uncertain. What they need is evidence that the person they are attacking cares about them but also is confident and reliable. Reacting with hostility is an error; so is reacting with weakness and compromise. Neither one is what is they need.

You see Bishops and General Authorities handle complaints the same way sometimes.

*I wonder if there is something symbolic about the names Lehi and Sariah that fit their roles here, at least in Nephi’s mind. Because the way he repeats their names is curious.

Some of my thoughts

I really enjoyed these thoughts. I read the post this morning but could have used it last night because my wife and I had a similar exchange. I wish I would have handled the situation as smoothly as Lehi though. We were invited to go to dinner and movie with some friends but I’ve grown sour towards movies lately and was reluctant to see a film that was basically a depiction of the Baal myth by a company that I do not wish to financially support.

I know that this puts my wife in a hard situation because she and I don’t exactly see eye to eye on a few issues, but that’s par for the course in marriage. I think we’ve compromised pretty well on many of these things. Even though we both share the same theological framework, the way we apply certain principles can vary significantly.

This often puts me at odds with family and friends in ways that I am unsure how to reconcile. Some might think that I’m just being unreasonable and extreme and I haven’t figured out quite how to manage that. For example, I live in Texas and my family barbecues often and goes hunting. I don’t wish to kill anything unless I need it for food, and I avoid eating meat unless I need to. I not preachy about any of this, I just kind of do my own thing quietly but it puts me in a place where I’m somewhat isolated in certain respects. Now, these are fairly minor things but they have a tendency to make my wife feel isolated in a sense as well because I’m not experiencing some of the same things.

It has been tricky to know how to find a balance. Do you favor family and cultural traditions or live the principles as you understand them to be true even if they cause other people to feel uncomfortable? We justify this when it comes to standing up for our values when challenged by people not of our faith, but what about differences in values within your faith? I think this conversation between Lehi and Sariah is an example of this, along with the entire book of 1 Nephi.

Here is a summary of the key takeaways from G’s post:

  1. People often complain and attack when they feel uncertain.
  2. Validate the other person’s concerns.
  3. Look at the big picture.
  4. Be confident and reliable.
  5. Do not react with hostility.
  6. Show that you care about them.
  7. Offer sincere comfort.

Anyone else have experience with this kind of situation? How did you deal with it? What should you avoid and what should you emphasize?

Book of Mormon
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Steve Reed

I created oneClimbs as a place to organize my thoughts and share my observations with anyone who might find the information useful. Though I may speak passionately or convincingly in some of this content, PLEASE don't simply take my word alone on anything. Always seek the truth of all things through study and prayer in the name of Jesus Christ.

1 Comment

  1. Particle Man on November 6, 2017 6:40 am

    The path of discipleship is isolating at times, which is
    indeed par for this strait and narrow course.

    Your approach seems to resonate with mine. It sounds like you
    know why you believe and do what you do, are humble in the thought and in the action,
    and communicate your intentions and limits. But conversion implies change,
    which isn’t necessarily easy, but your conviction or testimony should dispel the
    fear of man.

    I favor living what I know to be true and not following
    traditions with which I have reason to disagree. But I embrace my differences
    from the mainstream. As my understanding grows, so does my hope for a better
    world, and so I take opportunity to deviate from the norm even by sometimes cautiously
    challenging others’ ways of thinking. I do this not as a vehicle for pridefully
    exhibiting or pontificating my perspective but to be true to myself and potentially
    share what I verily believe and know to be true. If someone refuses to receive
    it, so be it.

    When I feel like the best choice is to yield to the cultural
    thing, I don’t get hung up on it. On the good-better-best spectrum, that which
    seems good can end up feeling not so good. And a movie is a great example, that
    is, if the movie can be considered good in the first place! But such instances help
    to motivate what not do next time.

    Reply
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