Watch the video (below) or read the transcript that follows!
There is always a temptation to vary from our standards. Let’s look at two scripture stories and compare what Lehonti and Nehemiah did as they were faced with continual temptation.
Lehonti led a group of Lamanites who didn’t want to fight Nephites. The Lamanite King did want to fight the Nephites and sent an evil man named Amalickiah to make Lehonti and his group go to war. Lehonti and his men were safe on a mountain—notice what happens.
“And it came to pass that when it was night [Amalickiah] sent a secret embassy into the mount Antipas, desiring that the leader of those who were upon the mount, whose name was Lehonti, that he should come down to the foot of the mount, for he desired to speak with him. And it came to pass that when Lehonti received the message he durst not go down to the foot of the mount. And it came to pass that Amalickiah sent again the second time, desiring him to come down. And it came to pass that Lehonti would not; and he sent again the third time. And it came to pass that when Amalickiah found that he could not get Lehonti to come down off from the mount, he went up into the mount, nearly to Lehonti’s camp; and he sent again the fourth time his message unto Lehonti, desiring that he would come down, and that he would bring his guards with him. And it came to pass that . . . Lehonti [came] down with his guards to Amalickiah “(Alma 47:10–13; emphasis added).
So the first three times Lehonti refused to come down from his place of safety. But on the fourth time, Amalickiah went up, almost to where Lehonti was, and said, “Just come down a little bit—and bring your guards.” That might be like Satan tempting us today saying, “It’s not that big of a deal. As long as with your friends, or other things that might help you feel secure it won’t hurt you to do this.”
On the fourth time, Lehonti gave in. Within a short period of time, he had been murdered, and Amalickiah was in command of the army.
Compare that account with that of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was in charge of rebuilding a wall around Jerusalem. His enemies wanted to stop the wall from being built and devised a plan to harm Nehemiah. They asked him to come to the plains of Ono and “thought to do [him] mischief” (Nehemiah 6:2).
Nehemiah’s enemies wanted to meet him in the plain of “Ono.” If your enemies want to meet you in a place that sounds like “Oh no!” don’t do it!” 😊
Nehemiah refused to go to Ono. He said, “I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:3).
Notice what happens next. He said, “They sent unto me four times after this sort; and I answered them after the same manner.”
Amalickiah tried to get Lehonti to “come down” from the mountain and he succeeded on his fourth try. Nehemiah’s enemies tried to get him to “come down” from his wall. But Nehemiah refused. Not just once, not twice or three times. But on the fourth time as well.
The difference between Lehonti and Nehemiah is what they did on the fourth time.
Elder Scott said, “Do not vary from your decision no matter how right it may seem when the temptation may come” (Richard G. Scott, “Do What Is Right,” Liahona, March 2001, 16). The difference between Lehonti and Nehemiah is what they did on “the fourth time.” In life our standards will be challenged repeatedly. Decide now that on the fourth, fifth and every time we will hold fast to our standards.
