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;

 14^aI 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.