Where “Much Is Given Much Is Required”
- CFMCorner
- Jul 20
- 8 min read
Videos, Podcasts, & Weekly Lesson Material
D&C 76
VIDEOS & PODCASTS
Media | Resource Links |
BYU RSC Library | |
Come Follow Church History with Lynne Hilton Wilson | |
Come Follow Me Kid | |
Come Follow Me Scott Woodward & Casey Griffiths | |
Come Follow Up | |
D&C Historical Background | |
Don't Miss This | |
Follow Him | |
Grounded with Barbara Morgan | |
Gospel For Kids | |
Seminary Decks | |
Hurricane Adult Religion Class | |
Latter Day Kids | D&C 81-83 |
Line Upon Line | D&C 81-83 Not Yet Available |
Meridian Magazine Podcast | |
Our Mother's Knew It | |
Saving Talents | |
Scripture Study Central | D&C 81-83 Website |
Scripture Explorers | D&C 81-83 |
Scripture Gems | |
Scripture Insights | |
Talking Scripture | |
Teaching With Power | D&C 81-83 |
Thumb Follow Me | |
The Red Crystal | |
The Scriptures are Real | |
The Interpreter Foundation | D&C 81-83
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Unshaken |
CHAPTER & SECTION SUMMARIES
Resources and Insights for this Week's Lesson
When God Calls in Crisis: Three Timeless Principles from D&C 81-83
Be Called. Counsel with Mercy. Care for All.
Callings rarely come at a convenient time. I remember when my husband was called to serve in the bishopric during our time in Nebraska. He was working full-time as a general surgeon, covering grueling trauma shifts every weekend at the University Hospital—intense 24-hour rotations where sleep was a luxury. Most Saturdays, he'd leave for the hospital at 6:00 AM, work straight through the night, then drive directly from his trauma shift to bishopric meetings and spend the entire Sunday at church.
I'll admit there were more than a few Sundays when exhaustion caught up with him and he'd nod off briefly while sitting on the stand. But despite the overwhelming demands—or perhaps because of them—the Lord magnified his capacity to serve. What should have been impossible became possible through divine grace.
Two hundred years ago, Joseph Smith faced an even greater moment of overwhelming responsibility. His clothes still smelled of tar and feathers from mob violence—an attack that exposed his infant twins to the bitter cold and contributed to the death of one of them. Yet in the midst of this devastating persecution and fresh grief, the Lord had work for Joseph to do. It was during this period of trauma that God instructed Joseph to call counselors to help bear the burden of leadership, reaching out to Jesse Gause (and later Frederick G. Williams) with the message: "You stand with me at the helm of my Kingdom."
From those revelations emerged three principles that still map the heroic journey for every disciple today, especially when life feels impossible: Be Called. Counsel with Mercy. Care for All.
1. Be Called: When God's Promises Meet Our Weakness
Key Verse: "Unto whom I have given the keys of the kingdom… inasmuch as thou art faithful in counsel… succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees." (D&C 81:2–5)
The Lord's promise in D&C 81 comes with divine "if-thens." Notice He doesn't say "because you're already strong" but "inasmuch as thou art faithful." God's calls often come precisely when we feel least qualified.
The Ancient Echo: Isaiah beckoned Israel to "strengthen the weak hands" (Isa 35:3). The Hebrew word for "counsel" here is עֵצָה (ʿetsah)—"purposeful advice"—the same root used when God calls Jesus the "Wonderful Counselor" (Isa 9:6). When we accept callings, we're invited to share divine ʿetsah.
Living It Today: Think of the single mother called to teach Primary while juggling two jobs, or the new convert asked to serve as ward mission leader. God doesn't call the equipped; He equips the called. The "key" isn't in our ability—it's in our willingness to let Him work through our weakness.
Reflection: What calling have you received that seemed impossible at first? How did you discover God's strength in your weakness?
2. Counsel with Mercy: The Balance Every Leader Needs
Key Verse: "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." (D&C 82:10)
This might be the Restoration's most quoted verse about divine contracts, but we often miss the context. D&C 82 was given to establish the United Order—a community where everyone would share equally in both resources and responsibilities. Yet the Lord knew this idealistic vision would be challenging to actually live, requiring both unwavering standards and abundant mercy from everyone.
Notice what comes immediately before verse 10: "Inasmuch as ye have forgiven one another your trespasses, even so I, the Lord, forgive you" (v. 1). Here, God establishes the law, then demonstrates how mercy must season justice. He's essentially saying, "Yes, I will absolutely keep my promises when you obey—but remember, this whole system only works with continuous repentance and forgiveness." He knows we will fail, recognizing that each failure brings opportunities for learning and growth.
The Divine Contract: When we do what God asks—even when we stumble—if we are willing to forgive ourselves and others, He literally "binds" Himself to bless us like signing a contract in heaven's courts. The power of His Atonement fills in the gaps. His Spirit succors us.
This applies to leaders and members alike. There have been several times in my life where leaders have disappointed me. There have been times I have failed as a leader, learning firsthand that "the arm of flesh will fail you." However, I have also experienced that those moments of failure often become the very times when the Lord personally steps in to heal the broken pieces. This kind of healing cannot happen when we hold resentment toward those who have disappointed us—that only prevents the Lord from working miracles in us.
Healthy leadership in any calling and productive discipleship requires both holding fast to God's standards and extending His mercy to those who stumble. This requires balance and grace. The United Order failed in Joseph's day partly because people struggled to balance accountability with forgiveness, and these same challenges persist in family and church communities today.
The Ancient Echo: The Levites in Israel were landless, relying entirely on the community's tithes for temporal sustenance (Num 18). They had to trust others to provide for them while they provided spiritual service. Today, our system is different, but the principle remains: local leaders must sustain themselves temporally while serving the spiritual needs of their wards and stakes. This creates an overwhelming responsibility, and the Lord expects us as members to sustain our leaders by stepping up to lighten their load—serving one another so our leaders aren't carrying every burden alone.
Similarly, D&C 82:17–18 calls us to honor fair "claims" on consecrated property—צֶדֶק (tsedeq, justice) in action. But justice without mercy destroys the very community it's meant to protect.
Living It Today: Think of the bishop who must lovingly uphold Church standards while embracing the teenager struggling with worthiness issues. He must carefully weigh all the underlying factors, ensuring his approach helps rather than hinders that youth's long-term spiritual progress. Or consider the Relief Society president addressing a family's financial crisis—her aim is to provide meaningful support while carefully protecting the dignity of those being served. Think of the Sunday School teacher who maintains classroom reverence while showing patience with the disruptive child who may be on the spectrum or whose family is experiencing crisis.
True spiritual leadership—whether formal or informal—requires balancing doctrinal truth and church policies with compassion for those who struggle. We must be "bound" to God's standards while following His example to meet people where they are, offer them a boost, and help them find their way forward when they fall short.
Reflection: When have you seen a leader effectively balance truth and mercy? How did that impact those they served?
3. Care for All: Building God's Safety Net
Key Verse: "The storehouse shall be kept by the consecrations of the church; and widows and orphans shall be provided for, as also the poor." (D&C 83:6)
D&C 83 isn't just historical background—it's the blueprint for our modern welfare system. But notice the order: families provide first (v. 1–4), then the community safety net kicks in.
The Sacred Storehouse: The Hebrew word for "storehouse" is אוֹצָר (otsar)—the same term used in Malachi 3:10 for the temple treasury. God's storehouse has always been sacred space where heaven meets human need.
Living It Today: Who are today's "widows and orphans"? The single father working three jobs. The elderly sister whose children live far away. The refugee family learning English. The young adult aging out of foster care. The woman fleeing domestic violence.
Our "consecrations" aren't just money—they're time spent with the lonely, skills shared with the struggling, and hearts opened to the hurting.
Reflection: Who in your sphere might be waiting for someone to "claim" them? How can you be part of filling God's storehouse this week?
The Unbroken Melody: From Israel to You
From Israel's temple courts to Ohio's tar-soaked pulpits to your living room tonight, God's covenant economy has one unbroken melody:
Succor the Weak (Isa 35:3) → ʿāzar (עָזַר) in D&C 81
Equal Claims (Num 18) → yāshār (יָשָׁר) in D&C 82–83
Covenant Binding (Gen 17:1) → בְּרִית (berît) in D&C 82:10
The same God who called Moses from the burning bush and Joseph from the Sacred Grove is calling you from whatever crisis or chaos defines your current moment.
Your Next Steps
Be Called: Write down your current callings—formal and informal. What "keys" has God placed in your hands? What promises are attached to your faithfulness?
Counsel with Mercy: Identify one person you can "lift up" this week. Maybe it's listening without judgment, offering practical help, or simply choosing forgiveness over frustration.
Care for All: Look for today's "widows and orphans." Consider volunteering at the bishop's storehouse, checking on elderly neighbors, or mentoring someone facing challenges you've overcome.
God's conditional promises remain unshaken 200 years after these revelations were first received. His tender ministry endures, and He's still calling ordinary people to do extraordinary things—not because we're strong enough, but because He is.
The question isn't whether you're qualified. The question is: Will you answer?
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