The other lesson of Bethlehem

Consider the wise men of the Nativity story: They were obviously men of some spiritual stature, though we know not exactly how great. They recognized the Star of Bethlehem and what it meant, and answered its call. But while they were witnesses to a miracle, they made a grave error and failed to distinguish between who should and should not be told. By relating their knowledge of the Star to Herod, they inadvertently caused the massacre at Bethlehem.

Scripturally, a "type" is not quite a symbol. It is a representation of something in particular, and a representation that naturally belongs to the same class as the thing to which it points. The setting and rising of the sun can be symbolic of the Resurrection, but the resurrection of Lazarus is a type of the Resurrection. The massacre at Bethlehem is a type that teaches us that that spiritual things should not be handed out lightly. President Boyd K. Packer taught that "strong, impressive spiritual experiences do not come to us very frequently. And when they do, they are generally for our own edification, instruction, or correction[...] I have come to believe also that it is not wise to continually talk of unusual spiritual experiences. They are to be guarded with care and shared only when the Spirit itself prompts you to use them to the blessing of others [emphasis added]."

We are counseled to not cast pearls before swine, for our sake and theirs both. As the massacre at Bethlehem or the planned executions at Zarahemla show, being careless about these things can lead to bad circumstances for us personally (even if nothing more results than mockery). What is often worse than what we personally suffer, however, is what may come down on those whom we have told, for "where there is no law given there is no punishment," but "wo unto him that has the law given, [...] and that transgresseth them." In other words, we are putting increased accountability on their shoulders, and if we are not careful we may make them accountable for things that they are not ready for. By being the party at fault for doing so, moreover, we are in a way made responsible for them and some of what is put on their shoulders is likewise put on ours.