When Helaman was recounting the battles of the Stripling Warriors, he noted these verses at a crucial turning point:
And as the remainder of our army were about to give way before the Lamanites, behold, those two thousand and sixty were firm and undaunted.
Alma 57:20–22
Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them.
And now behold, it was these my sons, and those men who had been selected to convey the prisoners, to whom we owe this great victory; for it was they who did beat the Lamanites; therefore they were driven back to the city of Manti.
Much has been said about these verses, but one thing I sense from Helaman’s account to Moroni (one general to another) is that he was so proud of them because they followed orders, even when (probably) there was fear and death and all the mortally scary things that might happen to a person happening right in front of them.
The other Nephites, Helaman recounts, were about to give way before the Lamanites, but they did not. Breaking ranks would have been a disaster for the Nephites as it allows their armies to be surrounded and causes confusion an surely many lives would have been needlessly lost, and they likely would have lost the city they were protecting and all their provisions, strengthening the enemy.
The leader’s role would be to try and keep the “line” of defense strong so the enemy is only on one side of you, not able to surround you (how many times have we seen the Nephites win a battle simply by surrounding their enemy?) but any person, even a normally courageous person, as the other warriors in Helaman’s band, would have been harrowed up, frightened or fearful by all the blood and carnage going on around them. The tendency would be to retreat, and not to hold “the line”.
The tendency would be to act human.
But the Stripling Sons held the line. They did exactly what was asked, and their willingness to hold to the word of their Captains over their own mortal interests enabled them to have a strong, united defense against their enemies. While the natural mortal tendency would be to flee or run, this willingness to stand in the face of danger and fight as one and follow the command of their Captains, not their own selves, was their best defense against that very danger.
This is what giving your will to the Lord is capable of.
Handing over the keys to the Lord to captain you, guide you and allow his watchcare to bless you. He sees the whole battlefield (through all past and future, and all eternity) while you see just the pinprick of reality of what’s right in front of you, as scary and challenging as that is, he sees and knows where you need to be so you can be ready and safe and secure.
And that security and two-way-trust* brings Real Peace.
(*Huh, interesting, I hear you thinking to yourself, “two-way-trust.” That’s kindof like a two-way promise between people who keep their promises. Where have I heard that concept before in the Gospel?… )
Robert Merrill 