Alma 37:1-2

I am hung up on the word command this morning. Alma didn’t ask his son Helaman to be in charge of the records, he commanded him. Bishop Kim always said ours is a church of assignments, not volunteers. I suppose it is like a calling. But even then, they always ask, not command.

…As I thought about this through the day, I realized as I was putting Helaman to bed that commanded was better than asking because it would help Helaman feel more responsibility to do it. At least it would for me if I was given a command by someone who I felt like had authority over me.

MaryAnn Lewis and I were talking about that during Sunday School. The lesson was about Jesus calling the Pharisees hypocrites and how they did not react well to the correction. The class was talking about how our pride makes it hard for us to receive correction humbly instead of getting angry. Someone making a comment said something to the affect of, “I don’t want to hear the conference talk.” MaryAnn I were talking about how we are less likely to have that reaction to a General Authority because we feel like they are someone who has the right and authority to correct (or command) us.

The nice thing about a command, when it is comes through proper authority, is it is really clear how to act. If you are asked to do something, you have to think about it and worry over a decision. When it is a command, you know exactly what to do and can move forward without waffling.

Alma 37:1-2