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...
Helaman Chapter 3 opens with a scene of conflict among the Nephites that led to mass migrations and a schism among the people; "there was much contention and many dissensions; in the which there were an exceedingly great many who departed out of the land of Zarahemla" (Helaman 3:3). As an aside Mormon interjects his own voice as the editor of the Book of Mormon and comments on the eventual demise of the Nephites. While the conflict and resultant fracturing of the people during this period of time cannot be directly linked to their eventual destruction, it is hard not to imagine how a united Nephite people might have fared differently in later years. What if they had worked through their pride and internal conflict and remained together? Would they have had greater spiritual and military strength to withstand the Lamanites? These questions are impossible to answer, but I have seen in my own life how easy it is to forfeit long-term benefits to win short-term battles.
The chief judge Helaman, however, did not let the divisions among his people derail his efforts to do good. "There was still great contention in the land ... nevertheless Helaman did fill the judgment-seat with justice and equity; yea, he did observe to keep the statutes, and the judgments, and the commandments of God; and he did do that which was right in the sight of God continually; and he did walk after the ways of his father, insomuch that he did prosper in the land" (Helaman 3:19-20). Despite the turbulence and conflict among the Nephites, Helaman was able to live a righteous life and lead others to do so as well. In fact, "there was exceedingly great prosperity in the church, insomuch that there were thousands who did join themselves unto the church and were baptized unto repentance" (Helaman 3:24). Our ability to live lives of "equity and justice" is not depended on the political atmosphere of our generation. By "keeping the statues, and the judgments of God" we can grown and find success as individuals and societies.
The growth and prosperity of the church faced new challenges as pride crept into the ranks of church members: "In the fifty and first year of the reign of the judges there was peace also, save it were the pride which began to enter into the church—not into the church of God, but into the hearts of the people who professed to belong to the church of God." For us now as it was for the ancient Nephites, pride is the enemy of prosperity. Pride is corrosive and antithetical to what it means to be a member of God's church. In modern times, few has taught more eloquently on the topic of pride than Ezra Taft Benson in his April 1989 General Conference address Beware of Pride:
"Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing. The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen ... Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God’s."
Application Questions
What petty conflicts in your life now could have more serious ramifications in your future?
How can you overcome obstacles in your world to live according to your values?
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