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 regard to giving alms, praying, and fasting in secret Christ repeated to the Nephites the refrain that "thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly" (3 Nephi 13:4, 6, 18). Throughout this chapter Christ reassured the Nephites that when they seek to do the will of God, they do not need to harbor anxiety for their own welfare. His invitation is to trust God for "your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him" (3 Nephi 13:8). Christ sought to wean the ancient Americans of a breathy and desperate pursuit of earthly wealth, and sends that same message to us today to prioritize spiritual things over temporal things.
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal; But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (3 Nephi 13:19-21). This passage is particularly relevant for me right now as I work to expand my online stationery business. It's an exciting project, but commands a huge amount of my free time and mental energy. There is an almost constant temptation for my thoughts about the business and my investment of time in the business to edge out other endeavors, most importantly my efforts in my calling. I often reflect on what it would look like if I spent a fraction of the time I spend on the business and dedicated it to magnifying my calling, or ministering to families and individuals in our ward. For me, following Christ's instruction to "lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven" is a work in progress, and I have a long way to go.
Christ repeated the same notion in more pointed language that "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon" (3 Nephi 13:24). I have not figured out the balance between fulfilling my calling and working my side hustle. I am not confident that I am sufficiently serving God, but also don't believe it is necessary to eliminate worthwhile goals, like earning money and providing abundantly for my family.
The most clear and hopeful aspect of this commandment comes in verse 33 when Christ said, "seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." Christ is not saying that a spiritual life and an earthy one are mutually exclusive, but that we should make God's work our first priority. We don't abandon our daily duties and worthwhile goals, we simply put them in proper proportion to work of eternal significance. Christ even promised that if we will seek the kingdom of God first, our basic needs like food, clothing, and shelter will "be added unto you" (3 Nephi 13:33). A major reason I am still here writing this blog is in an effort to put God first. I have not given my heart wholly to him, but at least I can read the scriptures and share my thoughts about them with others before being consumed by the distractions of wordiness that are so persistently shiny to me.
Application Questions
What treasures would you like to lay up in heaven? How can you invest more of your time and mental energy into spiritual and eternal pursuits?
How can you better serve God without neglecting other daily necessities, and abandoning worthwhile goals? How do you know God is pleased with the balance you have struck?
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