Parental Comparison

     Being a parent is, to say the least, an interesting experience and a great responsibility. It does not come with a  general handbook nor with a specific one for each child and so most of us learn by what we saw in our parents! But in all reality, the Lord DID give us some fairly general information guides on being parents as well as the experiences of others, besides our own parents, to learn from. They are found in the scriptures! I would like to share one that I have thought a lot about and would like to challenge you to think about it also. I will share the scripture first and then will add some of my thoughts after.

     In the Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 2:8-10, it says: "And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof. And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness! And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!"

     As I pondered on this it came to me as a point of positivity in parenting. Lehi is comparing his sons to things of nature that have power and can be stable, but can also be destructive. BUT he is trying to point out to them the good and positive things they can teach his sons such as, "continually running into the fountain of all righteousness and  being firm, steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord." Try to picture how Lehi is explaining this by seeing his sons steadily moving along the path  (river) of the Lord, by being firmly founded in keeping God's commandments. I can see our Heavenly Father wanting US to do the same thing in our lives and to teach our children to do so as well. This really is just touching the surface, but I hope you will take the time to  ponder this in your own life and try to see how it can influence you as a person! And, if you are a parent, try to see what Lehi was trying to teach his sons.