The truth is hard to hear by those who do wickedly. I remember the first time that I read the Book of Mormon. I marveled how Nephi the younger brother to Laman and Lemuel took the leadership role only because his elder brothers were unwilling to seek the Lord and to be obedient. It shouldn’t have been too hard for them to realize that their father was being directed by God and even after an Angel of God appeared unto them they continued to rebel. Their younger brother was wiser and more spiritual by nature. He counseled them to follow the Lord and to do the bidding of their Father. The following six verses essentially tell the ongoing story between Nephi and his older brothers Laman and Lemuel throughout the period of their lives.
“And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast declared unto us ‘hard things,’ more than we are able to bear. And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center. And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say that: Thou speakest hard things against us. And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did exhort my brethren, with all diligence, to keep the commandments of the Lord. And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord; insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they would walk in the paths of righteousness. Now, all these things were said and done as my father dwelt in a tent in the valley which he called Lemuel.” (Nephi 16:1-6)
All through the Book of Mormon a person can easily relate to the various things happening to different people. As we read we should, if we can, put ourselves in the place of the hero during that period in the story.
Though Mother Teresa may not have written the following statement it was found pinned on the wall, in her home for children in Calcutta:
“These are things that are hard to do but we are advised to do them anyway!
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.”
There are many hard things in life, things we are all expected to do routinely, such as family life, rules, school and work; some rebel and go off with others in a rebellious mood. They think their life will be easier and it may be—for awhile. They think they will have more fun and they possibly will—for awhile.
But sooner or later, they begin to realize that their routine of ease and fun gets harder. Some will continue anyway. They will continue until they can no longer endure the circumstances their rebellion has put them in and they will begin to long for those things that they once thought were too hard, the things that they once rebelled against will now seem reasonable and less hard. Like the prodigal son, “They came to themselves.” Those hard things now become reasonable— but only after the denial and the rebellion. That reminded me of the story of the Ass and the Mule.
“A muleteer set forth on a journey, driving before him an Ass and a Mule, both well laden. The Ass, as long as he traveled along the plain, carried his load with ease, but when he began to ascend the steep path of the mountain, felt his load to be more than he could bear. He entreated his companion to relieve him of a small portion, that he might carry home the rest; but the Mule paid no attention to the request. The Ass shortly afterwards fell down dead under his burden. Not knowing what else to do in so wild a region, the Muleteer placed upon the Mule the load carried by the Ass in addition to his own, and at the top of it all, placed the hide of the Ass, after he had skinned him. The Mule, groaning beneath his heavy burden, said to himself: “I am treated according to my deserts. If I had only been willing to assist the Ass a little in his need, I should not now be bearing, together with his burden, himself as well.”
Those who rebel and go off on their own, usually and often have to carry an extra burden as well, after they come to their senses. In many cases they have an addiction or an illness related to one. Hard things, we find out too late, would have been much lighter and easier if followed from the start.