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...
A man named Amalickiah sought to be king and manipulated the lower judges of the land "that were seeking for power" in order to overthrow the government (Alma 46:4). In response to sedition among the Nephites, the military leader Moroni led a movement to protect the values and political integrity of the Nephite nation. The account of Amalickiah and Moroni highlights the power of leaders, good and bad, to save or destroy entire peoples.
As a result of Amlickiah's avarice, "the affairs of the people of Nephi [were] exceedingly precarious and dangerous, notwithstanding their great victory which they had had over the Lamanites ... Yea, and we also see the great wickedness one very wicked man can cause to take place among the children of men" (Alma 46:7, 9). I am intrigued by the motivations of the lower judges of the land and the people who supported Amlickiah. They followed him because "they had been led by the flatteries of Amalickiah, that if they would support him and establish him to be their king that he would make them rulers over the people" (Alma 46:5). Their desire for political power overrode their integrity and loyalty to their nation.
When we seek power for the sake of power we make ourselves vulnerable to unrighteous influence and undermine our moral compass. Influence and authority at the expense of morality and integrity are hollow and corrosive. As Joseph Smith explained in the context of the priesthood, "when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man" (D&C 121:37). When we compromise ethical standards to gain authority, we cripple our ability to good with that authority.
When Amalickiah saw that his bid for power might fail, he isolated his followers to preserve their support: "he also saw that his people were doubtful concerning the justice of the cause in which they had undertaken—therefore, fearing that he should not gain the point, he took those of his people who would and departed into the land of Nephi" (Alma 46:29). Even Amalickiah's followers had misgivings and began to see that his cause was unjust, but by controlling the information his followers were exposed to and separating them from their opposition, Amalickiah was able to prevent his followers from dissenting. We face similar challenges from the polarizing effects of politicized new coverage and social media echo chambers, and risk being exploited if we succumb to tribalism. Considering multiple viewpoints and maintaining respectful relationships with people on all sides of the political spectrum can help us avoid being hoodwinked by corrupt and disingenuous leaders.
For most of my life I have been politically aloof. Engaging in the zero sum contest and distasteful tactics of American politics felt counterproductive, and so I remained distant and silent. As I have reevaluated my political participation over the last two years and chosen to be more engaged and outspoken, the example of Moroni has been instructive and inspiring.
"And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole." (Alma 46:12)
His battle cry was simply a bold and unambiguous declaration of his values displayed where others might see it. He didn't need to engage the rhetoric of his opposition, participate in mudslinging, exploit the fears of his followers, or resort to underhanded tactics to win influence. True leaders need not defraud their followers into granting them power; their power is derived from an unflinching commitment to values manifest in their actions and example. The impact of Moroni's example was powerful. We learn "that when Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold, the people came running together with their armor girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God" (Alma 46:21).
My hope is to be more bold in speaking on behalf of God, religion, freedom, peace, and families, and to be quick to "run together" to support principled and passionate people promoting goodness in the world.
Application Questions
What are the values that are most important to you? What truths are you most certain of? How can you share them more boldly within your circle of influence?
Who do you see who is defending ideals you support? How can you "come running together" to support them in their cause(s)?
Image Credit: Joseph Brickey
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