22 And it came to pass that the voice of the people came, saying: Behold, we will give up the land of Jershon, which is on the east by the sea, which joins the land Bountiful, which is on the south of the land Bountiful; and this land Jershon is the land which we will give unto our brethren for an inheritance.
23 And behold, we will set our armies between the land Jershon and the land Nephi, that we may protect our brethren in the land Jershon; and this we do for our brethren, on account of their fear to take up arms against their brethren lest they should commit sin; and this their great fear came because of their sore repentance which they had, on account of their many murders and their awful wickedness.
24 And now behold, this will we do unto our brethren, that they may inherit the land Jershon; and we will guard them from their enemies with our armies, on condition that they will give us a portion of their substance to assist us that we may maintain our armies_.
Alma 27:22-24 Book of Mormon Scriptures
We do not know how the people came to a consensus, but they did. And they did on the side of Mercy! And we should expect nothing less from those who profess the name of the Savior.
Yet, they seemed to go beyond the call of duty... or have they? They not only chose to not kill their "enemy" in retaliation or mistaken self defense, but they chose to give them land for their inheritance! And not only did they give them a land for their inheritance, and apparently beach front property, but they vowed to protect them with their very lives! Surely the people of Nephi were also inspired by the humility and love of these people who would come to be known as Ammonites. What an act of love that was offered by the Nephites! Like today, when someone repents and joins the fold of Christ, they are embraced as a brother. Or, so they should be. In general they are, perhaps with the exception of certain instances in the Utah church, where there seems to be an inordinate amount of SINOS (Saints in Name Only).
An inheritance? Really? That's what they did for those who have not only offended them, but have afflicted them, stole from them, injured them and even murdered some of them in war. They reward them? They give them their own land? Was their a practical, logistical reason also for offering this particular land fit an inheritance? Perhaps. For how could they assimilate thousands of people at once among them?
And yet, I can't help thinking about this parable:
_11 ¶ And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
Luke 15:11-32 New Testament Scriptures_
The Prodigal Son did not deserve the mercy and gifts and even HONOR that was bestowed upon him. They were a gift of grace from a loving father- on condition of repentance. The Prodigal would not have received any of those things (except his Father's love which is unconditional but which was bound and restrained until the conditional repentance) if he had not come to his senses and repented and then returned to his father, no matter how ashamed and humiliated. And yet that's what our Father in Heaven wants us to do in our shame and humiliation! Admit defeat without him. Acknowledge our nothingness and total dependence upon him- even for our very breath, and for sustaining us even from one moment to another. But most of all for the gift of the cleansing, sanctifying, peace-giving, redemptive Atonement of Christ.
Is not what the Nephites did in this instance a pattern of the parable? They embraced and provided for and protected and even honored those who had been their enemy, and had “wasted their living" (this mortal probationary experience) in hate and violence against an innocent people.
Surely this was an act of grace, even charity, the pure love of Christ, as these people not only sacrificed their pride, their animosity, their possessions, and even their very lives to defend their former enemy with whom they had been reconciled! ReconciledI As we are through the Blood of the Lamb! If— if— we humble ourselves sufficiently and strive honestly and sincerely and diligently to show our love and appreciation to God for His many gracious gifts by keeping his commandments to the best of our ability. For he said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments:. Is he not, in essence, saying, "If you love me, be a good little listener. Just do what I say and everything will be alright. :-)". He is the Parent. We are the children- and toddlers at that, as we dwell here on earth with our memories erased, and our intellect and understanding dialed down as a result of this mortal state. Surely we are as ignorant as little children, and must depend on him in like manner.
He just wants us to be a good listener and obey him to the best of our ability. He doesn't want what my neighbor can give- if my neighbor has more to give. He doesn't want me to do as good as my neighbor, and justify a half-hearted effort because by comparison I am "doing good". He wants only everything that I am capable of offering. And grace and the Atonement covers the rest. Just as we would never give a toddler the chore of mowing the lawn, even so our Father excepts only what we are capable of giving at any given time. The trick is not pretending we are doing our best, and thus lying. Lying to ourselves, lying to God, and cheating ourselves out of blessings of joy and peace and love. But not only that- we cheat our Father in Heaven out of the joy of bestowing gifts upon us that he wants with all of His heart to give. And thus, neither the receiver nor the giver of the gift rejoices. A lose/lose!
Anyway! What an absolutely beautiful and inspiring "love story"! Of Christlike love and charity to one another, even a former enemy.
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