Scripture Thought
1 Nephi 7:5
We learn here that the Lord softened Ishmael's heart. What does that mean to have your heart softened? Nephi and his brothers found favor in Ishmael's eyes, but it was the Lord that softened the hearts of he and his family.
As I look up the word in the Topical Guide and the Index, it talks about having hearts softened by the Lord. There is reference to Pharaoh, to the Lamanites, to the Gentiles, and more. Their hearts are, were, or will be softened in many ways. What comes to mind is a piece of clay. When you first unwrap it or pick it up after it has been sitting for a while, it is very difficult to knead. It is hard. It takes a great deal of work to soften, warm, and make it pliable.
Is that what the Lord does to us? Did he knead the hearts of Ishmael's family? Was it the warmth of the spirit the make them soft? Or was it the work that they exerted to change? I don't know.
How many times do missionaries carry the warmth of the spirit into homes as they teach? The hearts of these people are softened a little. They like the feeling that is there when the missionaries are around. Is that what they were feeling as Nephi taught by the spirit?
Unfortunately, all too often, once the missionaries move on, the people's hearts become hard again. They recognize the difference in their hearts mentally, but that is as far as it goes. They do not continue kneading, working, warming, and softening for themselves.
Does it take hardship, affliction, challenge, and more for us to start thinking about receiving or softening again? Is this what happened to some of the children of Lehi and Ishmael? They went along because it sounded good, promises of adventure, rich lands, and more. Then when they realized they had to work, knead, warm, and apply the teachings to their lives, they stopped.
They just want to have the missionaries keep bringing the spirit. Or maybe it is their parents, siblings, teachers, friends, etc... They do not want to do the work themselves.
How soft is your heart?
We learn here that the Lord softened Ishmael's heart. What does that mean to have your heart softened? Nephi and his brothers found favor in Ishmael's eyes, but it was the Lord that softened the hearts of he and his family.
As I look up the word in the Topical Guide and the Index, it talks about having hearts softened by the Lord. There is reference to Pharaoh, to the Lamanites, to the Gentiles, and more. Their hearts are, were, or will be softened in many ways. What comes to mind is a piece of clay. When you first unwrap it or pick it up after it has been sitting for a while, it is very difficult to knead. It is hard. It takes a great deal of work to soften, warm, and make it pliable.
Is that what the Lord does to us? Did he knead the hearts of Ishmael's family? Was it the warmth of the spirit the make them soft? Or was it the work that they exerted to change? I don't know.
How many times do missionaries carry the warmth of the spirit into homes as they teach? The hearts of these people are softened a little. They like the feeling that is there when the missionaries are around. Is that what they were feeling as Nephi taught by the spirit?
Unfortunately, all too often, once the missionaries move on, the people's hearts become hard again. They recognize the difference in their hearts mentally, but that is as far as it goes. They do not continue kneading, working, warming, and softening for themselves.
Does it take hardship, affliction, challenge, and more for us to start thinking about receiving or softening again? Is this what happened to some of the children of Lehi and Ishmael? They went along because it sounded good, promises of adventure, rich lands, and more. Then when they realized they had to work, knead, warm, and apply the teachings to their lives, they stopped.
They just want to have the missionaries keep bringing the spirit. Or maybe it is their parents, siblings, teachers, friends, etc... They do not want to do the work themselves.
How soft is your heart?
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