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...
Under Mormon's leadership, the Nephites were able to regroup their forces, fortify a city, and deflect the Lamanites. They even won concessions from the Lamanites to give them the northern part of the land. But in what should have been a hopeful moment, Mormon had the sobering realization that the Nephites “did not realize that it was the Lord that had spared them, and granted unto them a chance for repentance“ (Mormon 3:3).
In my life I have enjoyed undeserved mercy from God. Recently I was talking about this with some friends who were visiting from out of town and explained that even at my worst, God has always been by my side. Even when I have made mistakes and committed sins, He had reached out to me in love and patience. I have had profound experiences with the Spirit, even when I have made choices that distanced me from God and should have disqualified me from feeling the feelings of the Holy Ghost. I attribute all of this to the love of God. I can identify with the wicked Nephites described in this chapter and am grateful that God has "granted unto me a chance for repentance."
Perhaps the only difference is that I know, and have always believed that "the Lord had spared me." God explained to the prophet Joseph Smith that "in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments" (D&C 59:21). By expressing gratitude for the bounty we receive from God, and trying to follow Him, we can enjoy His favor. I am so grateful for the merits of Jesus Christ that makes these gifts possible. Because he lived a perfect life and sacrificed Himself for sin, we all have access to this ability to change and received unwarranted gifts.
Despite this "chance for repentance," pride derailed the Nephites, and they squandered the gift of repentance that God had offered them. Instead, “because of this great thing which my people, the Nephites, had done, they began to boast in their own strength” (Mormon 3:9). When we feel pride we assume that the privileges and blessings that we enjoy are somehow due to our own intellect, hard work, or goodness. We miss out on feelings of gratitude, and become less empathetic to others. While we may enjoy the natural consequences of good behavior, bad things still happen to good people. And Christ taught his disciples that "he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:45). By recognizing God's hand in all we have, we can avoid the pitfalls of pride and feel greater love for others.
Application Questions
How has God reached out to you in patience and love, even when you didn't deserve it?
What examples of God's love and mercy to you see in your life? What are you most grateful for?
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