An old woman once told me the story of Simeon. Simeon the Nephite wasn't particularly charismatic or popular. He lived with his small family on the frontiers of Nephite civilization, and he was among the last to hear the summons to come hear the prophet King Benjamin's final sermon. Seeing as how final sermons tend to be profound, Simeon packed up his wife and kids, hoping desperately that a Lamanite raiding party wouldn't make off with all his worldly possessions while he was away.
When Simeon arrived at Zarahemla, the place was packed. People everywhere. The summons had said that Benjamin would give his address at the temple, so Simeon and his family started to make their way in that direction. They quickly found, however, that the temple was full and that the rest of the Nephite community was pitching their tents outside the temple walls. Rumors spread that the brethren were quickly building a tower so Benjamin could speak to all.
Simeon didn't know the city very well; he didn't know of any prime spot known only to a few. He followed the ever-lengthening line away from the temple and finally found a spot from which he could just see the rising tower coming over the temple walls.
Being a faithful subject, Simeon pitched his tent in the direction of the temple. He had faith that he too could hear the word of the Lord delivered by His prophet.
And then King Benjamin opened his mouth (in Mosiah 2:8): "And it came to pass that he began to speak to his people from the tower; and they could not all hear his words because of the greatness of the multitude; therefore he caused that the words which he spake should be written and sent forth among those that were not under the sound of his voice, that they might also receive his words."
Simeon sat for hours, facing the temple, waiting for his turn to hear the word of God.
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Now, that story is entirely fabricated. Simeon does not appear in the Book of Mormon. But someone like him existed. Someone who traveled long, got bumped to the back of the line, and then had to wait in the back to read the most powerful sermon of his generation. He heard the fervor of the crowd's reaction recorded in Mosiah 5. Or perhaps she felt the electricity of excitement. Or he had to wait in line to read (or be read to) words which those in front had snapped up with zeal.
I don't know what I would have done in Simeon's shoes. Would I have grumbled and left? I hope not. Because that would have been a tell-tale sign of vicious pride in my heart that told me, "You're better than those folks up front. You've worked harder, traveled longer, and been more faithful than that lot. If the sermon is for them, you have nothing to wait around for."
Had I left, I would have missed the gem from King Benjamin's speech that has stuck with me the longest, a gem that does nothing if not eviscerate prideful sentiment:
"I say, if ye should serve him [the Lord] with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants...And now, in the first place he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him. And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?" (Mosiah 2:21, 23-24)
When Simeon arrived at Zarahemla, the place was packed. People everywhere. The summons had said that Benjamin would give his address at the temple, so Simeon and his family started to make their way in that direction. They quickly found, however, that the temple was full and that the rest of the Nephite community was pitching their tents outside the temple walls. Rumors spread that the brethren were quickly building a tower so Benjamin could speak to all.
Simeon didn't know the city very well; he didn't know of any prime spot known only to a few. He followed the ever-lengthening line away from the temple and finally found a spot from which he could just see the rising tower coming over the temple walls.
Being a faithful subject, Simeon pitched his tent in the direction of the temple. He had faith that he too could hear the word of the Lord delivered by His prophet.
And then King Benjamin opened his mouth (in Mosiah 2:8): "And it came to pass that he began to speak to his people from the tower; and they could not all hear his words because of the greatness of the multitude; therefore he caused that the words which he spake should be written and sent forth among those that were not under the sound of his voice, that they might also receive his words."
Simeon sat for hours, facing the temple, waiting for his turn to hear the word of God.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Now, that story is entirely fabricated. Simeon does not appear in the Book of Mormon. But someone like him existed. Someone who traveled long, got bumped to the back of the line, and then had to wait in the back to read the most powerful sermon of his generation. He heard the fervor of the crowd's reaction recorded in Mosiah 5. Or perhaps she felt the electricity of excitement. Or he had to wait in line to read (or be read to) words which those in front had snapped up with zeal.
I don't know what I would have done in Simeon's shoes. Would I have grumbled and left? I hope not. Because that would have been a tell-tale sign of vicious pride in my heart that told me, "You're better than those folks up front. You've worked harder, traveled longer, and been more faithful than that lot. If the sermon is for them, you have nothing to wait around for."
Had I left, I would have missed the gem from King Benjamin's speech that has stuck with me the longest, a gem that does nothing if not eviscerate prideful sentiment:
"I say, if ye should serve him [the Lord] with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants...And now, in the first place he hath created you, and granted unto you your lives, for which ye are indebted unto him. And secondly, he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?" (Mosiah 2:21, 23-24)
Love this perspective, thanks.
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