Hugh Nibley notes the words of a hymn, "A poor wayfaring man of grief did often cross me on my way." When I was going my way untroubled, this poor wayfaring man drew my attention, like the good Samaritan on the road to Jericho. So he had to change his course and stop and consider. In the end he had to make a great sacrifice. He crossed him on his way. That means to stop you or to check you on your way and make you consider where you are going and what you are doing. So that's what you do--you cross yourself. You stop yourself dead still and say, "What am I doing here; this has got to stop and stop right now." Alma tells his son, don't commit one more sin like that whatever you do--it's very dangerous. So "cross yourself in all these things" (Alma 39:9). [Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Semester 2, p. 469]