Lessons for Our Day From the Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ - 2024
Lesson No. Thirteen

All Things Should be Done in Wisdom and Order - Mosiah 4:27

Doing things in wisdom and order – King Benjamin gave some very important and timeless counsel: “And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order” (Mosiah 4:27).

Good, Better, Best – The modern world has many things that compete for our time, attention, and resources. President Dallin H. Oaks shared some excellent advice. “Most of us have more things expected of us than we can possibly do. As breadwinners, as parents, as Church workers and members, we face many choices on what we will do with our time and other resources. We should begin by recognizing the reality that just because something is good is not a sufficient reason for doing it. The number of good things we can do far exceeds the time available to accomplish them. Some things are better than good, and these are the things that should command priority attention in our lives” (Good, Better, Best, Oct 2007 General Conference). This sermon should be studied.

Doing things in wisdom and order – Some things are good, including healthy bodies and athletics; some things are better, including firm minds and academics; some things are best, including strong spirits and obedience. Our goal should be to have a healthy body, a firm mind, and a strong spirit. But we should not prioritize sports, which is good, over school, which is better, or over sabbath observance, which is best.

“Behold, mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord God, and not a house of confusion” (D&C 132:8). Here the Lord stresses the importance of order, and He is speaking of His Church and its members generally. Confusion often brings contention which the Lord strongly condemns: “For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, on with another. Behold, this is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away” (3 Nephi 11:29-30).

Not running faster or further than we have strength – I recently heard of a person who ran an ultra-marathon, 100 miles, but he had never run more than 20 miles at a time before. He finished the race but ended up in the hospital. Students who do more than they have strength may have a breakdown. Church members who rely on their own strength and not the Lord, and do not understand repentance and patience, may become depressed.

It is expedient that [we] should be diligent, that thereby [we] might win the prize – Diligence is a Godly attribute (see D&C 4:6) that we remember and strive to acquire. The dictionary defines diligence as the “constant and earnest effort to accomplish what is undertaken; persistent exertion of body or mind.” What is to be diligently undertaken includes the other Godly attributes of “faith hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God…Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility…” (D&C 4:5-6).

The prize king Benjamin speaks of is the gift of eternal life which “is most precious and most desirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God” (1 Nephi 15:36).

I conclude with my testimony on the importance of doing things in wisdom and order using the words of Jacob: “O be wise; what can I say more?” (Jacob 6:12).

PS – Mother’s Day, May 12, 2024 – Mothers have a tremendous impact on our ability to do things in wisdom and order, and certainly one of the best things in life are MOTHERS!

Released on May 12th. 2024.