Monday, March 7, 2011

Pride (Part I)

I took an opportunity this morning to turn to Ezra Taft Benson's words and lay the most important (to me) parts out in outline form.  This is a message for this time in the world.  It was spoken back in 1989, but it is even more important in 2011.  I only got the chance to scratch the surface here, but as I read, I saw many places for my own improvement and for the improvement of my family.

I hope, as you read, you might find something of importance to you.  He was a great man and a prophet of God.  This is God's message--a message of warning to us; to people of any faith.  

What I've outlined below is really only a portion of this great talk.  Here's the whole sh'bang.  Anything highly indented or with a small circle (not a bullet) next to it are my own notes.

·         strive to fill your life with the Book of Mormon.
·         move boldly forward into your own life more of its messages.
·         This sacred volume was written for us—for our day. Its scriptures are to be likened unto ourselves. 
·          “Behold, the pride of this nation, or the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction.” (Moro. 8:27.)
·         the Lord warns us in the Doctrine and Covenants, “Beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old.” (D&C 38:39.)
·         In the premortal council, it was pride that felled Lucifer, “a son of the morning.” (2 Ne. 24:12–15: aHow art thou fallen from heaven, O bLucifer, son of the morning! Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations!
 13For thou hast said in thy heart: aI will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north;
 14aI will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.
 15Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the apit.
·         Moses 4:3: Wherefore, because that aSatan brebelled against me, and sought to destroy the cagency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be dcast down;.)
·         At the end of this world, when God cleanses the earth by fire, the proud will be burned as stubble and the meek shall inherit the earth.
·                             Meekness is the opposite of pride.
o   Meek = forbearing; yielding; unassuming; pacific, calm, soft, gentle, kind.  Sweet?  The ability to look out for the welfare of others?
·         To Emma Smith: D&C 25:14:  Continue in the spirit of meekness, and beware of apride. Let thy soul delight in thy bhusband, and the cglory which shall come upon him.;
·         To Oliver Cowdery: D&C 38:39: And if ye seek the ariches which it is the will of the Father to give unto you, ye shall be the richest of all people, for ye shall have the riches of eternity; and it must needs be that the briches of the earth are mine to give; but beware of cpride, lest ye become as the dNephites of old.
o   Riches make us prideful when we refuse to share them.
·         Pride is a very misunderstood sin, and many are sinning in ignorance. (3 Ne. 6:18:  Now they did not sin aignorantly, for they knew the bwill of God concerning them, for it had been taught unto them; therefore they did wilfully crebel against God.)
·          In the scriptures there is no such thing as righteous pride—it is always considered a sin. understand how God uses the term.
·         Alma 5:61: And now I, Alma, do command you in the language of ahim who hath commanded me, that ye observe to do the words which I have spoken unto you..)
·         Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness (concern for your own interests and welfare; egoism), conceit (vain, proud, egotistical, self-important, self-satisfied; having an excessively favorable opinion of one's abilities, appearance), boastfulness, arrogance (offensive display of superiority or self-importance), or haughtiness (disdainfully proud; snobbish; scornfully arrogant). All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing.
o   Sounds like “self” shows up A LOT here.  Hmm. Concern for the welfare of others over yourself might be a key here.  Not being a busy body (because that's not looking out for someone's welfare, but seeing a need and trying to lovingly fill that need).  Also, not enabling, but teaching others to be self-sufficient.  Sometimes this line is hard to see.  Let others do for themselves, but the things they cannot do, step in if you can.  If you can't, find someone who can.


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