Covenants With God That May Appear as Foolishness to Others

I’m in Alma 24 this morning. I was pondering the Anti-Nephi-Lehis and how their covenant to bury their weapons of war was unique to them. They felt deeply that this is how they would draw closer to God, to make a covenant to God to bury their sins by staining their swords no more with the shedding of blood. In our paths we make oaths and covenants with God to stay away from the evil sins we have committed in the past. These oaths and covenants are in general terms in the ordinances but at the individual level, we should be very specific as we bury every sin that separates us from God. Sometimes the covenants we make with God may differ from other believers. For example, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies and the Nephites both are seeking to keep the commandments and covenants they’ve made with God. In this instance one decides not to go to war and the other does go to war. In fact, the Nephites go to war to protect their brethren who won’t go to war. It may be tempting for one party to condemn the other party for not doing what they have felt the Lord wanted them to do. If they become someone else’s judge, then they have crossed their lines of stewardship. It is best that we let others seek God and do the things they feel He is asking them to do. Our paths to Him are so individual. I believe this is why the Lord’s servants teach doctrines and principles and let the people govern themselves. We just don’t know all the details of other’s lives and it’s best we let God work in others according to His will, their will and the timing of the Lord.