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...
Speaking of the wicked Nephites, Samuel described them as "a chosen people of the Lord; yea, the people of Nephi hath he loved, and also hath he chastened them; yea, in the days of their iniquities hath he chastened them because he loveth them" (Helaman 15:3). In the same breath that Samuel prophesied of the potential desolation and destruction of the Nephite civilization, he testified of God's love for the Nephites and taught that correction from God is a manifestation of that love. The opposite of love is not hate, but apathy.
God knew that eventually the Lamanites would repent, and "for this intent hath the Lord prolonged their days" (Helaman 15:4). The Lord is prolonging our days as we speak. As Alma described it, "life became a probationary state; a time to prepare to meet God," "a space granted unto man in which he might repent" (Alma 12:24). We have the time we need to work on whatever we need to work on to prepare to return to the presence of God.
Samuel explains in detail the repentance process of the Lamanites, the current righteousness of the Lamanites, and future prophesies about the Lamanites. He explained that "they are striving with unwearied diligence that they may bring the remainder of their brethren to the knowledge of the truth" (Helaman 15:6). I love the phrase unwearied diligence, not only as it applies to missionary work, but to all aspects of our lives. I recently listened to a podcast by Brooke Castillo in which she describes what she calls the "compound effect." Essentially, our big decisions are an accumulation of our small decisions. Our spiritual livelihood does not hinge on some great act, but consistent small acts.
Initially I was confused by the fact that Samuel was spending so much time talking to the Nephites about the Lamanites. Would the Nephites care? But Samuels purpose becomes apparent when he declares "it shall be better for them than for you except ye repent" (Helman 15:14). God wants all of us to live joyful lives filled with growth and fulfillment. He offers commandments that outline the best way to enjoy these blessings and a token of His love. Furthermore, he warns us of the dangers of failing to obey, not as a threat, but as added help and motivation to change. Learning you are wrong can hurt in the short term, but can also lead to long-term improvement and progress.
Application Questions
Is there feedback you would like to give to someone who is important to you that you have not because you are worried about how they will react? How could having a difficult conversation actually strengthen your bond and show that you care?
How has God chastened you? How have you been blessed by His correction?
When you correct others--at home, at work, or at school--do you do so with complete love?
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