Courage

So this morning, I did it. I read scripture instead of the newspaper during breakfast. And then I read the newspaper while I dried my hair. That worked pretty well. Fortunately I live in a tiny town with a tiny newspaper.

Anyway, I read about Nephi and the brass plates -- probably the single most familiar story in all of scripture if you grew up Mormon. And yes, we know, if we had Nephi for a brother we would all probably feel like being Laman and Lemuel. He's so ... good.

Regardless of all that, I found something to consider and apply here this morning. Nephi was going into a very, very scary situation. I don't think we always appreciate how terrifying it must have been. Hostile territory, powerful and disdainful enemy, previous failures by his brothers, real threat of death, extremely high stakes (the spiritual future of his people). All that good stuff. And yet.

"I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do," he wrote (1 Nephi 4:6).

He showed total trust. He refused to be controlled by fear. We can know that what we're doing is scary, and yet choose not to be scared. We can rely on the arm of the Lord, rather than on our instincts which may tell us to fly.

This is no little thing, here. How often do we tell ourselves we're making the best decision we can, when really we're shying away from what God wants us to do because we're afraid of change and challenge?

Nephi was courageous.