Thursday, November 14, 2013

Being a Small and Simple Means

I want to talk about the title of my blog. I touched on this last week. I mentioned that I am a small and simple means by which the Lord can bring about great things.

Satan will try to tell me that I am foolish for trying. He tries to tell us that our efforts will not make a difference and that sin is easier and more powerful than righteousness. The Adversary would have us give up before we even begin to try.



It is true that there is much for us to overcome- our own sins at the top of the list.  But we have eternity to progress if we are moving in the right direction-and we have already know which side will win.

So yes- we are weak and we are simple, but we have the Lord's promise because of the Atonement.

"My grace is sufficient for all men who humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27).

And of course we know that Christ brings about great things by small and simple means.

I think of Abinadi. He was sent by the Lord to preach repentance to a city ruled by the wicked King Noah and his wicked priests. King Noah had an army, weapons, and wealth. His power was obvious and ostentatious. Abinadi was rejected and delivered to the king. He was bound and tried on empty accusations. It seemed that Noah had all the power and Abinadi was doomed. But Abinadi was a prophet of God. He had authority from God to deliver His message and they had no power over him until that message was given. They did kill him, but he was prepared to face death.

Abinadi probably died without learning that his words were not lost on all of them. Alma repented and went on to become a prophet, and many of his descendants were prophets. Many people were taught and baptized by Alma and his descendants and the people that they taught. Abinadi's example is influential even today through the scriptures- while King Noah's power was quashed soon after Abinadi's death.

Abinadi was simply obedient. He was bold and brave and willing to sacrifice everything for the Lord. He was not great by any worldly estimation. He was only human- and therefore weak. But because he was faithful in the most trying of circumstances many people were converted to the service of the Lord.



Few of us have the courage and faith of Abinadi- but all of us can learn by his example that the Lord can make of us far more than we can make of ourselves and far more than anyone can see in us. Christ can bring about great good from our weak attempts to serve Him.

No comments:

Post a Comment