Having Good Parents

With this being the midpoint between Father’s Day and Mother's Day, my thoughts have been turning again to both Dad and Mom. It has been just over a year since Mom passed, with Dad preceding her by just ten months. There is hardly a day that goes by that I’m not thinking about one or both of them and the positive influence they had on my life. How grateful I am for good parents who taught me by their loving examples to choose good over evil. The Book of Mormon begins with a reflection on the role that the example of goodly parents can be on each of us. Not all are so lucky, though most are still able to learn from the examples of others I think of Abraham in the Old Testament, whose own father was an idol worshipper. He even turned Abraham over to the priests of his false gods, presumably to become a human sacrifice unto them. But Abraham was spared and delivered by an angel of the Lord. This lack of proper parental leadership had no negative impact on Abraham and his subsequent ability to choose good over evil. In fact, he was eventually so beloved of God that he was promised that through his seed, all the families of the earth be blessed (see Gen 17:7, Abraham 2:11). Such a dichotomy should give everyone hope in the goodness of life that awaits them, regardless of the level of parental support and love they may or may not have received in their childhood.

 1 Nephi 1:1  I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

 1 Nephi 22:9 And it shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles; and not only unto the Gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

LESSON LEARNED: Regardless of the influence our parents made on us for good or evil, we are still free agents and are expected to make proper choices for ourselves. The level of blessings we obtain in life will be a direct result of these choices we make.

FEEDBACK: HOW DID YOUR PARENTS' INFLUENCE AFFECT YOUR UPBRINGING, AND HOW DOES THIS IMPACT YOUR DECISION-MAKING TODAY?