Double take

The last few weeks there have been 2 verses in the Book of Mormon that keep running through my head.  They are in 3 Nephi 11, which is an amazing chapter!  It is when Christ first comes to the Americas and begins to teach them about His doctrine.  Verses 37 and 38 are the ones that I keep coming back to.

 37 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and become as a little child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.

 38 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.

Notice anything?  They are almost identical.  Very few differences.  But, the differences are what have been calling to me.  Let's focus on verse 37 for a minute.  We are to "become as a little child" before we are baptized.  We need to be humble and submit ourselves to the Lord.  Then, in verse 38, we are told to "become as a little child" after baptism.  Be humble and continue to do what the Lord asks of us.  Humble before and after.  Interesting....

Humility is being grateful to the Lord and knowing that we always need Him.  It is an knowing and accepting that our talents and abilities are gifts from God.  Really, what isn't a gift or blessing from Him.  Look around.  Everything on this earth was given to us by our loving Father in Heaven.  It is our responsibility to recognize this and give a little credit where it belongs (or a lot).  I love how Ammon puts it in Alma 26:

Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever....  Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel

I am nothing, but in the Lord can be made great.  By putting the Lord and His will first I allow Him to step in and make me into something better.  Humility is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign that we know where true power comes from.

To close, I'd like to share some of the lyrics from a hymn.  "Be thou humble in thy weakness, and the Lord thy God shall lead thee, Shall lead thee by the hand and give thee answer to thy prayers.  Be thou humble in thy pleading, and the Lord thy God shall bless thee, shall bless thee with a sweet and calm assurance that he cares."