Something that is neat about
King Limhi in the Book of Mosiah is that he a drive to understand why people do what they do.
We can see this when Limhi has
first contact with Ammon as Ammon comes into the land. Ammon broke some kind of security
protocol Limhi had and yet Limhi doesn’t automatically kill him, he keeps him
alive and asks him why he did what he did.
10 And
now, I desire to know the cause whereby ye were so bold as to come near the
walls of the city, when I, myself, was with my guards without the gate?
11 And
now, for this cause have I suffered that ye should be preserved, that I might
inquire of you, or else I should have caused that my guards should have put you
to death. Ye are permitted to speak.
12 And
now, when Ammon saw that he was permitted to speak, he went forth and bowed
himself before the king; and rising again he said: O king, I am very thankful
before God this day that I am yet alive, and am permitted to speak; and I will
endeavor to speak with boldness; (Mosiah 7: 10-12)
We see another example of this when
Limhi’s people bring the wounded Lamanite king to him. Although his people want to kill the
Lamanite king immediately, Limhi stops them because he wants to know why the
Lamanite king broke his oath that he would not attack the Nephites.
13 And
they took him and bound up his wounds, and brought him before Limhi, and said:
Behold, here is the king of the Lamanites; he having received a wound has
fallen among their dead, and they have left him; and behold, we have brought
him before you; and now let us slay him.
14 But
Limhi said unto them: Ye shall not slay him, but bring him hither that I may
see him. And they brought him. And Limhi said unto him: What cause have ye to
come up to war against my people? Behold, my people have not broken the oath
that I made unto you; therefore, why should ye break the oath which ye made
unto my people? (Mosiah 20:13-14)
Limhi seems to have the view
that people generally have good reasons for what they do and sometimes they are
very good ones. He seems to have
realized that one doesn’t take the trouble to find out what those reasons are,
one misses important opportunities or important information.
Because Limhi took the
trouble to listen to Ammon’s reasons for breaking security protocol—protocol
that Ammon certainly didn’t know about—he learned that Ammon was from
Zarahemla. Because Limhi
took the trouble to listen to the Lamanite king’s grievance against the
Nephites, he was able to make peace.
Today let’s take the time to
understand those who seem to intent on driving us crazy or offending us or
misbehaving. Maybe we’ll learn
something helpful.
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