John Greenwood was a fifer in the Continental Army who was called to carry a musket during the assault on Trenton, NJ. On Christmas night the American army crossed over the Delaware in what would prove to be a defining moment during the Revolutionary War and American history. Crossing over the Delaware was an all-night matter. It was an adversity f great proportions. There was severe winter weather that night and into the morning. It made the crossing more treacherous but it also masked the movements of the Americans. After the troops made it across, it was so cold that there are reports of at least two soldiers freezing to death during a break. John Greenwood, during one such break wanted to just go to sleep. The numbing cold whispered to all to rest and succumb to its frozen embrace. To John, the seductive voice of the cold was enticing. He was resting and wanted nothing more than to sleep; he did not even care if it was an eternal sleep. John was saved only when a sergeant roused him and got him going. This act saved his life. Had the sergeant noticed the lowly fifer, had the sergeant not gone after the lost sheep, John’s life would most likely have been lost.
This story exemplifies the stewardship in the gospel. All members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have responsibilities to other people. All are ideally called as visiting teachers or home teachers. In other ways all have stewardship over others. Cain asked a simple question of the Lord, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9). Even though Cain’s reason for asking was not honest nor was it out of concern for his brother, who he had just killed, it is a question we would do well to ask in honesty. Are we our brothers’ keepers? The Savior answered a similar question with a parable. When asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus said:
“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
“And he [the man] said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.” Luke 10:30-37.
How we treat others is important. The Samaritan could have walked by the beaten man but he didn’t. He took care of him who was injured and saved his life, just as that sergeant had done for John Greenwood in Washington’s army. We need to love others and watch over our brothers, sisters, and neighbors. We might just save their lives, physically or spiritually.
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