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...
In Alma chapter 26, Ammon rejoices with his mission companions, "for could we have supposed when we started from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted unto us such great blessings?" (Alma 26:1). Ammon's joy stems from the fact that he could not have imagined the blessings of the Lord, and that the joy of his missionary service exceeded his expectations. Even when we know what to expect, and things unfold as we had imagined, we can't lay claim to the growth and joy of that experience until we have lived it. It is always better, richer, and fuller in person. No photograph can capture the majesty of standing on the edge of the grand canyon, no recording can compare music performed live, and nothing exceed the feelings that come from seeing righteousness in yourself and others.
Ammon elaborates that "this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work" (Alma 26:3) In the last chapter, Ammon remarked that being made aware of our errors with sufficient time to correct them is a gift, and here adds that the greatest blessing is to be an instrument in the hand of God. In doing so he summarized two key aspects of the Atonement, first to cleans us of our sins, and then to empower us to do good.
It is very easy to overlook the good that you do in the world and take your efforts for granted. Like George Bailey (It's a Wonderful Life), we may see our impact in the world more clearly if we imagine what the world would be like if we were gone. This is how Ammon framed his missionary work: "For if we had not come up out of the land of Zarahemla, these our dearly beloved brethren, who have so dearly beloved us, would still have been racked with hatred against us, yea, and they would also have been strangers to God" (Alma 26:9) Who would miss you if you were suddenly gone? Who's life would be more difficult, or lonelier? What diapers would not be changed, or what lessons would not be taught, or what work would not be done? For the pessimistically-minded reading this, I can see how these questions could be more harmful than helpful, but if you are honest with yourself you will feel and know that you make an imprint in your world that would be sorely missed.
I love Ammon's exultant humility and the praise that he renders to God: "I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever ... Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel" (Alma 26:11-12, 16) Being filled with a sense of gratitude and abundance quiets our anxiety about our own wants and needs and helps us to focus on others. Our attainment of wealth, our pursuit of notoriety, our accumulation of stuff becomes less frenetic when we believe the truth, which is that we already have everything we need to feel complete peace and happiness. When we are not frantic pursuing our own wants and needs, it opens up space and energy to love and serve those around us.
To live a life of gratitude and service, we simply need to be humble and repent, as Ammon implies, for "what natural man is there that knoweth these things? I say unto you, there is none that knoweth these things, save it be the penitent" (Alma 26:21). We come to know spiritual mysteries and gain a deep understanding of God when we humbly approach God and try to change for the better.
To live a life of gratitude and service, we simply need to be humble and repent, as Ammon implies, for "what natural man is there that knoweth these things? I say unto you, there is none that knoweth these things, save it be the penitent" (Alma 26:21). We come to know spiritual mysteries and gain a deep understanding of God when we humbly approach God and try to change for the better.
Application Questions
What are you most grateful for in your life? How can you reflect on your blessing more often?
What service does the Lord need and want you to perform?
Image Credit: www.carpentrybyrob.com
What are you most grateful for in your life? How can you reflect on your blessing more often?
What service does the Lord need and want you to perform?
Image Credit: www.carpentrybyrob.com
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