Jacob 1 - That We Might Persuade Them to Come Unto Christ I'm taking an online economics class right now, which prompted me to think of the definition of economics in the context of the scriptures. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. In the case of Nephi and his successor Jacob, the plates upon which they engraved their record was a scarce resource. They were costly to make and difficult to engrave, and instilling a tradition of passing them through generations was surely cumbersome. Recognizing the great importance of spiritual things and the challenge of maintaining records, Nephi instructed Jacob to prioritize religious instruction saying, " if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people" (Jacob 1:4). This priority was not only reflecte...
Even though the Nephites were able to fend off the Amlicites and Lamanites and reestablish peace, they suffered and mourned the loss of their fallen soldiers, and the destruction of their flocks and crops. These trials had a refining effect upon them and inspired the people to be more humble and righteous, “therefore they were awakened to a remembrance of their duty” (Alma 4:3). The church grew larger and stronger as a result of this change in the people, but faced new challenges after a few years of growth. “The people of the church began to wax proud, because of their exceeding riches, and their fine silks, and their fine-twined linen, and because of their many flocks and herds, and their gold and their silver, and all manner of precious things, which they had obtained by their industry; and in all these things were they lifted up in the pride of their eyes, for they began to wear very costly apparel” (Alma 4:6).
This passage feels like a specific warning to me about the danger of fixating on material pursuits. While my income seems average within my circle of peers, when I consider that more than 70 percent of the world’s adults own under $10,000 in wealth I'm reminded of the immense privileges I enjoy (inequality.org). I believe in the value of industry and actively pursue the most money I am capable of making, and so I also choose to live with a nagging anxiety about the onset of pride that can accompany the accumulation of wealth. This is a constant source of soul-searching for me as I weigh the amount of time and energy I spend on seeking wealthy in balance with my investment in family, church service, and helping others.
My greatest idols are a mix of very wealthy people and exceedingly simple people, and yet I (wrongly) maintain the belief that wealth and total devotion to the service of others are mutually exclusive. Sure rich people can do good things with money, but charitable donations seem to fall short of the self-sacrifice epitomized by Mother Theresa. I think to myself, "Yes, I am making small contributions to help others, but couldn't I do more if I were more focused on service than my own accumulation of wealth?" I think of Christ's interaction with a wealthy young man who was obedient to the law of Moses and asked Christ what more he could do. "The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions" (Matthew 19:20-22). At least in this young man's case, the path to perfection and storing treasure in heaven was to give all his worldly possessions to the poor. I don't believe the only way to fully consecrate my time, talents, and resources to God is through living an ascetic life, but how to do so is a serious question and one that I have not fully answered for myself.
Alma is careful to distinguish the difference between wealth and pride and identified the hallmarks of being "lifted up." "The people of the church began to be lifted up in the pride of their eyes, and to set their hearts upon riches and upon the vain things of the world, that they began to be scornful, one towards another, and they began to persecute those that did not believe according to their own will and pleasure” (Alma 4:8). Pride is characterized by setting our hearts upon riches, being scornful to each other, and persecuting those with different beliefs. While I might not be prepared to sell all that I have and give it to the poor, I can strive to insulate myself from pride by setting my heart on pursuits outside of money, acting with love and generosity to all people, and trying to understand and care about those that think and act differently than I do.
Application Questions
What would I give my time and energy to if I were less worried about making money?
Who do I feel the greatest enmity toward? How can I understand them better and seek God's help in loving them?
Image Credit: jongordon.com
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