Daily Thoughts

In the Book of Mormon we read that Limhi told the king that he had heard nothing about their daughters being stolen away but he would make a search among his people to try to find out what had happened. But Gideon explained to Limhi that he didn't think their people had done it, and said it was probably the priests of King Noah. He told Limhi to tell the King of the Lamanites this to pacify him, and reminded him that the prophesies of Abinidi had been fulfilled. When the King of the Lamanites was told these things, he was pacified and swore to them that he would no more seek to slay their people. The king returned in peace to his own land.  Mosiah 20:16-26 "And now Limhi had heard nothing concerning this matter; therefore he said: I will search among my people and whosoever has done this thing shall perish. Therefore he caused a search to be made among his people.  Now when Gideon had heard these things, he being the king's captain, he went forth and said unto the king: I pray thee forbear, and do not search this people, and lay not this thing to their charge.  For do ye not remember the priests of thy father, whom this people sought to destroy? And are they not in the wilderness? And are not they the ones who have stolen the daughters of the Lamanites?  And now, behold, and tell the king of these things, that he may tell his people that they may be pacified towards us; for behold they are already preparing to come against us; and behold also there are but few of us.  And behold, they come with their numerous hosts; and except the king doth pacify them towards us we must perish.  For are not the words of Abinadi fulfilled, which he prophesied against us—and all this because we would not hearken unto the words of the Lord, and turn from our iniquities? And now let us pacify the king, and we fulfil the oath which we have made unto him; for it is better that we should be in bondage than that we should lose our lives; therefore, let us put a stop to the shedding of so much blood.  And now Limhi told the king all the things concerning his father, and the priests that had fled into the wilderness, and attributed the carrying away of their daughters to them. And it came to pass that the king was pacified towards his people; and he said unto them: Let us go forth to meet my people, without arms; and I swear unto you with an oath that my people shall not slay thy people.  And it came to pass that they followed the king, and went forth without arms to meet the Lamanites. And it came to pass that they did meet the Lamanites; and the king of the Lamanites did bow himself down before them, and did plead in behalf of the people of Limhi.  And when the Lamanites saw the people of Limhi, that they were without arms, they had compassion on them and were pacified towards them, and returned with their king in peace to their own land."

In the Old Testament we read that whoever finds the Lord finds life and obtains favor with the Lord.  Those who sin against the Lord wrong their own souls.  If we hate the Lord, we love death.  Proverbs 8:35-36 "For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the Lord.  But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death."

Some scriptures with a thought booklet tell us that a person who exalts himself and thinks he's better than others is actually in a worse standing before God than a humble person who recognizes his sins and tries to repent.  As we read these scriptures, which person do we identify more with?  Do we often look down on others and think about how we would never commit the sins they do?  Or are we humble before the Lord and recognize our sins and shortcomings?  Luke 18:9-14 "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."