At times I have tended to, sometimes assertively, place my own agenda above others’, running ‘roughshod’ over their feelings and wishes. For anything or principle so ‘defended’ that example does not bring the Spirit. Defense of my ‘territory’ at such a cost is not the Lord’s way. He stated things clearly, or used parables to teach of His ways, thus avoiding an escalation of intensity and feeling into ‘anti-productive territory’. kdm
Elder Neal A. Maxwell said: “… why the stress on meekness? Merely because it is nice to be nice? The reasons are far more deeply imbedded in the ‘plan of happiness’ (Alma 42:8 ) than that!
God has seen billions of spirits pass through His plan of salvation, has told us to be meek in order to enhance our life and our mortal education. Will we be meek and listen to Him and learn from HIm? or will we be like the Gadarene swine, that pathetic example of… —going whole hog— after trends of the moment?
Perhaps, brothers and sisters, what we brought with us as intelligences into our creation as spirit children constitutes a ‘given’ within which even God must work. Add to that possibility the clear reality of God’s deep commitment to our free agency—and we begin to see how essential meekness is!” We need to learn so much and yet we are free to choose (see 2 Nephi 2:27)! How crucial it is to be teachable! There “is no other way” in which God could do what He has declared it is His intent to do. No wonder He and His prophets emphasize meekness time and time again!” From BYU Fireside talk Sept 5, 1982… read/listen to full talk… ‘Meekly Drenched in Destiny’ [iii]
