It Mattereth Not

A podcast I listened to yesterday highlighted an interesting phrase found in each of sections 60-63 as the Lord gave instructions to his elders. After their visit to Missouri, the Lord commanded many of the elders of the church who had come up from Kirtland to return there. He gave them this interesting counsel about their return voyage: “But, verily, I will speak unto you concerning your journey unto the land from whence you came. Let there be a craft made, or bought, as seemeth you good, it mattereth not unto me, and take your journey speedily for the place which is called St. Louis” (Doctrine and Covenants 60:5). He told them “it mattereth not unto me” concerning whether they bought or made a vessel for the waters. As the elders were then on their way, Joseph Smith received a revelation on the bank of the Missouri River. The Lord gave some warnings about the waters, but then he said this about those who would travel to preach the gospel: “And it mattereth not unto me, after a little, if it so be that they fill their mission, whether they go by water or by land; let this be as it is made known unto them according to their judgments hereafter” (Doctrine and Covenants 61:22). Again we see the same phrase “it mattereth not unto me” regarding their manner of travel.

Other revelations that Joseph Smith received similarly emphasized that some things were left up to individuals to determine and not dictated by the Lord. Joseph Smith received another revelation, again recorded on the bank of the Missouri River, in which the Lord said this about the rest of their journey home: “And then you may return to bear record, yea, even altogether, or two by two, as seemeth you good, it mattereth not unto me; only be faithful, and declare glad tidings unto the inhabitants of the earth, or among the congregations of the wicked.” He also gave this instruction, “I, the Lord, am willing, if any among you desire to ride upon horses, or upon mules, or in chariots, he shall receive this blessing, if he receive it from the hand of the Lord, with a thankful heart in all things” (Doctrine and Covenants 62:5, 7). The Lord wasn’t going to dictate exactly how they return and many of the details were left up to the individuals with more than one choice acceptable to Him. The next revelation that Joseph received once back in Kirtland again used the same language: “And let all the moneys which can be spared, it mattereth not unto me whether it be little or much, be sent up unto the land of Zion, unto them whom I have appointed to receive” (Doctrine and Covenants 63:40). In 1832 the Lord gave a revelation to Stephen Burnett which this instruction: “Wherefore, go ye and preach my gospel, whether to the north or to the south, to the east or to the west, it mattereth not, for ye cannot go amiss” (Doctrine and Covenants 80:3). To the Lord what mattered was that this elder preach the gospel; where he did it wasn’t as important since the Lord had people who needed to hear the message in all directions. These revelations and others highlight the principle that the Lord taught the elders when they went to Zion: “For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness” (Doctrine and Covenants 58:26-27). All of these scriptures highlight the fact that the Lord will not command us in everything and sometimes there are multiple options that are good. We must learn to use our agency as best we can when we don’t have further directions from the Lord.