Gideon: A righteous man, yea, a man who has done much good among this people...

In my reading of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, I have come to the story of Gideon.  Gideon was a Nephite patriot.  He loved his people and fought for them and their freedom.  He abhorred the wicked King Noah, and fought him in defense of his people.  He also had something of a soft heart, as he spared the life of the wicked king when he had the perfect opportunity to rid the people of him.  He was a smart man - when the daughters of the Lamanites go missing and Gideon's people are accused of the crime, Gideon figures out who the real culprits are - the wicked priests of king Noah.  When his people were in bondage to the Lamanites it was Gideon who came up with the plan for their escape.  He was a strong member of the church of God and when Nehor came on the scene, teaching all manner of false doctrine and leading away the hearts of the people, it was Gideon that defended the truth and eventually became a martyr when Nehor slayed him with a sword - even as Gideon was sharing his testimony of the truth.  The people were devastated; this was a man dearly loved by them, a man who had defended them and fought for the right all his life.  The people of the land named a city in his honor so that they might always remember their defender and champion.


I have a new little nephew.  He was born right near Christmastime.  His name is Gideon.  I don't know that his parents named him specifically after this Nephite patriot.  But I do know that they looked to this Gideon of ancient times and maybe were thinking along the lines of Helaman who once said to his own sons: "Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first patents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.  Therefore, my sons, I would that ye should do that which is good that it may be said of you, and also written, even as it has been said and written of them" (Helaman 5:6-7)

Alright little Gideon.  Now, go and do good so that it might be said of you even as it was said of him of old.