Scriptural Instruction

My reading today comes from the Doctrine and Covenants Section 121 (emphasis added).

 41 No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;

 42 By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile—

 43 Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy;

 44 That he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.

 45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

 46 The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.

 As a mom who *used to get very angry (specifically: yelling, screaming, and even throwing things once in a while), I've felt very much like a hypocrite because I was telling my kids to stay calm, but my moods would shift so suddenly.  My words really were like wind.  The only lasting changes they were making were damaging -- like strong wind, my strong words caused destruction, not help.  I love that by using the pure qualities listed in the scripture, we are promised that they will "enlarge the soul."  Where anger tears another down and turns us into hypocrites, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, love unfeigned, kindness and pure knowledge (true and sound principles) build us up.  Isn't that what we all want, to be built up even in our weaknesses, not torn down?

The Lord doesn't tell us to never correct our children, either.  He tells us to use sharpness, or our keen awareness -- think Mother's instinct -- early or before it's necessary.  That is what is meant by "betimes."  We are to be specific, direct, but kind and loving in our timely instruction to our children.  We use the Holy Ghost to help us know when the right time is to teach certain principles.  If we are in tune to our children -- we're paying attention to them and involved in their lives -- we will know when the right times to teach are.  If there's anything I've learned, it's that the best teaching is done when we are all calm and at ease -- not in the midst of high emotions and frustration. 

I love the blessings promised in the last two verses.  We are promised that as we exercise these true principles and virtues, we will learn the doctrines of the gospel as dew -- it just comes to us and it doesn't overwhelm, but we get something new each day.  The other amazing blessings include having the Holy Ghost with us at all times and our influence and authority (I like to think of it as our stewardship and influence as parents and leaders) will be everlasting and we will never lose it; we won't have to fight to keep it, it will just flow unto us.

*(I'm going to start saying it in the past tense since I'm changing my ways.)