Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart I have written my law, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
First, we are to hearken. Hearken doesn't just mean listen. It means to give respectful attention. It means that when my mother asks me to do something, I shouldn't say, "Yeah. Ok. Sure" as I'm distracted by the computer or television. It means that I stop what I'm doing so I can be respectful as well as give her my full attention. That's how we should be with God. We shouldn't just say, "Yeah. Ok. Sure" to the commandments or words of the prophets, we should sit up and really listen with respect and your whole being.Secondly, this verse is speaking to those that "know righteousness". Those people who have God's commandments written in their hearts. To be counted among those who know righteousness, we have accepted our Savior and Heavenly Father into our being. We don't just obey and follow the commandments because that's what we are supposed to do, but rather we do so because it's a part of us. It's something that we believe. It's something that's written in our hearts. It's one thing to read it in a list, it's quite another to know them by heart because it's important to us.
Third, we should not be fearful of man. They are not worth fearing. Much of this chapter is saying, why would you fear man and forget God? Because God is magnificent, but man is only mortal. God can help you in your hardest times. If you stand by God and remember who he is you will remember that he is greater than man. What can man do that God cannot help you through?
Those are the lessons I've taken from this verse alone. I'm to really hearken to God, and have his word in my heart, and not be fearful of man. There is so much more in the chapter, but I only have so much time. No wonder we are asked to read and reread the Book of Mormon, there are always things to focus on.
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