I attended an outdoor Nativity pageant tonight. A couple things happened that were touching to me.

As well all know, Joseph asks the inkeeper for a place to stay, and the inkeeper responds saying the place is full. Most pageants I have seen show the couple walking away sadly. This one did as well, but they didn’t get far before the inkeeper comes outside to beckon them, then shows them to a stable.

I found that touching because it says to me that something in the inkeeper made him feel like he should be doing something to help the couple. I can’t help but wonder whether he had an internal debate with himself on whether even to suggest the dirty stable to Mary and Joseph.

The second item I found touching was when Mary handed the infant Jesus to Joseph for him to hold. That is certainly not a scene I have seen portrayed anywhere (in painting, theatre, or story). It indicated to me that Joseph had a real role to play in Jesus’s life.

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I got rid of my dog today.

I don’t want to get into the whole story in this post (you can read it here and here), but suffice it to say it had to do with my neighbour.

What I would like to discuss, however, is my reaction.

My first response was one of frustration. I was frustrated that my neighbour gets the benefit of the doubt, and I don’t. I was frustrated Animal Control accepted my neighbour’s exaggerations as fact. I was frustrated I had to pay $100.

I stewed about the issue all day. As such, it didn’t take long for me to consider ways to deal with my neighbour. I considered:

1. Confronting him and telling him we got rid of Apollo
2. Confronting him and telling him we had Apollo euthanized
3. Reporting his cigarette smoke coming in our window
4. Completely removing the hedge between our houses
5. Not giving him cookies for Christmas anymore
6. Stealing a “for sale” sign from someone else’s yard and putting it in his

As the day went on, my thoughts turned to my post-conference resolution to be less judgemental, less selfish, more grateful and more patient. I realized none of the above considerations were going to help me be successful in my resolution.

Before long, I found myself considering Sunday’s gospel doctrine lesson and one specific scripture.

“Behold what the scripture says?��Ǩ���man shall not smite, neither shall he judge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord, and vengeance is mine also, and I will repay” (Mormon 8:20)

I slowly realized that it wasn’t up to me to do anything in this situation, even if there is an injustice.

What benefit would there be to my trying to exact vengeance or to confront my neighbour? Wouldn’t the better path be for me to try nurturing what relationship my neighbour and I have?

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