Many words of wisdom

I have found it peculiar that the instruction from the Lord concerning the care of our bodies in seciton 89, is referred to as the word of wisdom. It says so in the heading to the section, so who am I not to call it "the word of wisdom," and "word" can mean collectively not just singularly, but of all the commandments and examples and scriptures we've been given, this section is proclaimed THE word of wisdom. I guess it's pretty important.

One of the reasons I find this a peculiarity is that the first three verses, inspired by Joseph Smith, state that this revelation is to the council of the high priest by way of greeting, not commandment or constraint. What?! Commandment and constraint is what the whole "word of wisdom" is about. It turns out that "the word of wisdom" was not ratified as a commandment until 1851, when Brigham Young proposed it to all the saints as a binding commandment. Which is why now, it is part of the temple recommend interview.

Two other parts of the introduction to the bulk of "the word of wisdom" are interesting to me. In verse 3 it states it is "adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints." Weak here meaning humble and teachable and ready to change. I've heard stories of missionaries teaching people who have smoking or drinking habits, but were able to go cold turkey because of their readiness to accept the gospel and change. I think it is interesting that the saints at the time had 20 years to get used to the idea of eliminating alcohol and tobacco from their diet before it was a commandment that they would be held morally responsible for. The DC manual suggests that the Lord extended mercy and time in allowing the saints to get used to this idea before making it a commandment. I've always thought it sad that when missionaries teach someone in our day, if they cannot live according to the "word of wisdom," they tend to drop that investigator. I suppose that unwritten rule of a person needing to hear about the gospel seven time before they accept could apply here. Of course there needs to be a line drawn for how long or how productive it would be to keep an investigator in the teaching pool, but I wish it could work differently sometimes. People have not changed since 1833, they still need time to get used to the idea of dropping a physically addicting habit.

One last thing abou the first part of 89, vs 4 says: "In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you, and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation— "

In other words, the Lord is telling us right now, that drugs, alcohol and tabacco and not eating properly is one of the ways that Satan will bog us down with self-pity, depression, physical limitations and self-destruction. So listen up!

I love this section! I'm telling you right now that I'm not the kind of person who thinks we should subsist on bread and honey. But like every other moral decision we make, how we take care of our bodies is just another moral decision. Call me wacko, but I truly believe that.