A Tale of Two Murmurers..... part I

"...they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them." (1 Nephi 2:12)

It's a sad thing to see children turn against their parents. And unfortunately, we see it all too frequently.   Even the scriptures are full of stories of children rebelling against their parents:  Cain; Eli the High Priest's sons; Solomon's sons, Rehoboam and Jeroboam; and Laman and Lemuel.

The story of Laman and Lemuel, the sons of Lehi the prophet, is found in the very beginning of the Book of Mormon, almost as if it's a warning to us about what NOT to do.  They grumble and complain about everything.  They complain about having to leave Jerusalem behind, with all its "fun", "glamour", "excitement"... and just because their father "was a visionary man" and "because of the foolish imaginations of his heart." (1 Nephi 2:11)

Now, where I come from, that sort of disrespect just isn't allowed, but that's for another post.   In the scriptures, Lehi mourned his sons' distance from God and plead with them to turn around, begging them to "be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness ... be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!" (1 Nephi 2:9-10)

With a father that loved them and wanted so much for them, why in heaven's name did these two - the oldest sons in the family - decide to turn against him?  (The story gets much worse,  you know.  And that sticks in my mind while I'm writing!) The answer is in the scripture at the top  of this post: "...they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them." (1 Nephi 2:12)

We all murmur at one time or another.  I've murmured many times.  Sometimes something as "simple" as saying to God (or one of His appointed servants) "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?!?"  At other times I have beat the ground in despair screaming at my Father in Heaven that I hated him and would never turn to Him again because He had hurt me so badly.

We murmur because we don't understand that God has a Plan.  Not just "The Plan" (another post - I promise!) but A plan, one specifically designed for each of us to bring us closer to Him.  When we realize that, it becomes a little easier to deal with what comes our way.  But we have to stop the murmuring - it only turns us bitter and hard, and keeps us from feeling God's love for us.

This gentleman (looks like somebody's grandfather, doesn't he!?!) is Elder H. Ross Workman, a servant of God with the call to be a special sort of missionary called a "Seventy" (like Stephen in the New Testament - look it up!).  He talked about murmuring one time, and said some things I'd like to share with you: 

"...murmuring consists of three steps, each leading to the next in a descending path to disobedience."

Those three steps are:

• We question in our own minds, then plant those questions in the middle of others.

Oh - you know how that goes.  We get disgruntled about something that doesn't go our way, and we just HAVE to tell our friends... in fact, we tell anyone who listens!  (Ask me how I know!)

•   We begin to rationalize and excuse ourselves from what we know is right.

Yeah, we start making excuses why its OK for us to do what WE want, not necessarily what we SHOULD do. 

• We become lazy in keeping the commandments of God.

Have you ever noticed that once we do something we shouldn't the FIRST time, it's a whole lot easier to do it again the next????

Eventually, if we grumble and complain long enough, we find that we've grumbled our way right into a place that it has become harder to get out of.  We find ourselves being that grumpy old lady from  Pollyanna that has convinced herself that life isn't worth giving anything back, just because she's an invalid.  Or what about the grumpy old man in the same story who only has his dog for company because he's such a grouch?  Yeah - that's who we become when we murmur all the time - or even worse!  Laman and Lemuel eventually try to kill their brother (several times!) and plot to kill their father, and just because they don't like where he's leading them - as God has commanded him!

Elder Workman said "Obedience is essential to realize the blessings of the Lord, even if the commandment is not understood."

Being grumpy and murmuring against what we OUGHT to do, against what God has asked (or even TOLD) us to do only drives us farther and farther from His care and love.  Turning away from Him prevents His blessings from reaching us, and actually make our lives even more miserable.

Nephi explained the choices we have:

"...inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper...inasmuch as [ye] shall rebel...[ye] shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord." (1 Nephi 2:20 & 21)

Those are are choices:  Keep God's commandments (and do it joyfully - no one likes a grumpy person!) and be happy in His blessings..... or, murmur, be a grouch, disobey, go your own way... and be cut off from the presence of your Father in Heaven.

What will YOU choose today?