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...
As Christ continued his address to the Nephites as recorded in chapter 14, his words almost perfectly mirror those recorded in Matthew chapter 7. Chapter 14 contains important truths that are not only accepted by Christian believers, but have deeply permeated western society. Because these beliefs and phrase--about judgment, asking for divine help, and assessing someone's character by their actions--are so ubiquitous, it is easy to forget how radical they are, and how difficult they are to practice despite their simplicity.
Judge Not, That Ye Be Not Judged
Christ taught "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again" (3 Nephi 14:1-2). Elder Dallin H. Oaks clarified this principle for me in his BYU address "Judge Not" and Judging. Since then I have interpreted this phrase to me as "Don't make permanent or unrighteous judgments."
Seek and ye Shall Find
"Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened" (3 Nephi 14:7-8). I have always associated this passage with simply asking God for what I want in prayer. Certainly praying to God to communicate our needs and desires is a part of asking, seeking, and knocking, but as I re-read this passage I'm reminded that "to seek" is an action verb. In life coaching circles I've heard the phrase "massive action" used by Brooke Castillo to describe the level of effort necessary to achieve a desired result. Essentially, it means never giving up and doing whatever it takes, even if that means working more or harder than we initially expected. I like this idea and associate it with "seeking." When we do all that we can do, when we "seek," when we take "massive action," God sees our act of faith and grants the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6).
The rewards for asking, seeking, and knocking are what Christ calls, "good gifts." Good gifts may not be what we asked for, or even what we want, but they are those gifts that according to the infinite wisdom of God are deemed to be in our best interest. "What man is there of you, who, if his son ask bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (3 Nephi 14:8-11). When my children ask for things my answer is often "no," or "later," and I see parallels between my conversations with my children and God's interaction with me through prayer. I am also frequently involved in negotiations with my children and spend a lot of time explaining the reasons behind my decisions. I'm sure at times Heavenly Father grows equally exasperated with my tireless pleas for candy, and my displeasure with His refusal to extend bedtime or watch one more show.
By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them
"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit" (3 Nephi 14:16-18). When I read this metaphor, I like to combine it with Christ's allegory of the olive tree in Jacob chapter 5. Through the Lord of the Vineyard's careful pruning, grafting, and fertilizing, he is able to harvest good fruit from trees that were previously fit to be cut down and burned. While we can be known by our words and actions, or fruits, we are all a mixed bag of good and bad fruit, and the quality of our fruit can change over time. I consider myself a good tree, but I also produce fruit on occasion that is withered and sour. Even my best efforts might pale in comparison to the good results others produce with their righteous actions. When I observe a tree with particularly sour fruit, or metaphorical thorns and thistles seemingly incapable of producing fruit at all, I am reminded to "judge not," because, for all I know, with pruning and care that tree could produce good fruit. When I consider my own sins and failings, I can extend myself compassion by remembering that I can produce a better harvest next season.
Application Questions
Who in your life have you judged unfairly or harshly? How can you show compassion and forgiveness while still making needed judgments.
What are your deepest desires? Are they aligned with God's will? How can you "seek" them?
Image Credit: The Open Door Ministries
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