“Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
“But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.”
Compare the response of the rich young man with the experience of Amulek, as described in the Book of Mormon. Amulek was an industrious and prosperous man with many kindreds and friends. He described himself as a man who was called many times but would not hear, a man who knew the things of God but would not know. A basically good man, Amulek was distracted by worldly concerns much like the rich young man described in the New Testament.
Even though he had previously hardened his heart, Amulek obeyed the voice of an angel, received the prophet Alma in his home, and provided nourishment to him. He was spiritually awakened during Alma’s visit and was called to preach the gospel. Amulek then forsook “all his gold, and silver, and his precious things … for the word of God, [and was] rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred.”
What do you think explains the difference between the responses of the rich young man and Amulek?
Despite his earlier history of knowing but refusing to know, Amulek had softened his heart such that he was willing to follow the Lord no matter the cost.
During a perilous period of war described in the Book of Mormon, an exchange of epistles occurred between Moroni, the captain of the Nephite armies, and Pahoran, the chief judge and governor of the land. Moroni, whose army was suffering because of inadequate support from the government, wrote to Pahoran “by the way of condemnation” and accused him and his fellow leaders of thoughtlessness, slothfulness, neglect, and even being traitors.
Pahoran easily might have resented Moroni and his inaccurate allegations, but he did not. He responded compassionately and described a rebellion against the government about which Moroni was not aware. And then Pahoran declared:
“Behold, I say unto you, Moroni, that I do not joy in your great afflictions, yea, it grieves my soul. …
“… In your epistle you have censured me, but it mattereth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart.”
What do you think explains Pahoran’s measured reply to Moroni’s accusations?
Pahoran was less concerned with how he was perceived than he was with preserving his people. He also understood that whatever Moroni’s words, his heart was dedicated to the same cause.
In general conference six months ago, President Russell M. Nelson described his response to President Thomas S. Monson’s invitation to study, ponder, and apply the truths contained in the Book of Mormon. He said: “I have tried to follow his counsel. Among other things, I’ve made lists of what the Book of Mormon is, what it affirms, what it refutes, what it fulfills, what it clarifies, and what it reveals. Looking at the Book of Mormon through these lenses has been an insightful and inspiring exercise! I recommend it to each of you.”
President Henry B. Eyring likewise emphasized the importance in his life of President Monson’s request. He observed:
“I have read the Book of Mormon every day for more than 50 years. So perhaps I could have reasonably thought that President Monson’s words were for someone else. Yet, like many of you, I felt the prophet’s encouragement and his promise invite me to make a greater effort. …
“The happy result for me, and for many of you, has been what the prophet promised.”
What do you think explains the immediate and heartfelt responses to President Monson’s invitation by these two leaders of the Lord’s Church?
Humility – a willingness to continue growing.
Instructively, the Savior chose to emphasize meekness from among all the attributes and virtues He potentially could have selected.
…
Meekness is a defining attribute of the Redeemer and is distinguished by righteous responsiveness, willing submissiveness, and strong self-restraint. This quality helps us to understand more completely the respective reactions of Amulek, Pahoran, President Nelson, and President Eyring.
The Christlike quality of meekness often is misunderstood in our contemporary world. Meekness is strong, not weak; active, not passive; courageous, not timid; restrained, not excessive; modest, not self-aggrandizing; and gracious, not brash. A meek person is not easily provoked, pretentious, or overbearing and readily acknowledges the accomplishments of others.
Whereas humility generally denotes dependence upon God and the constant need for His guidance and support, a distinguishing characteristic of meekness is a particular spiritual receptivity to learning both from the Holy Ghost and from people who may seem less capable, experienced, or educated, who may not hold important positions, or who otherwise may not appear to have much to contribute. Recall how Naaman, captain of the king’s army in Syria, overcame his pride and meekly accepted the advice of his servants to obey Elisha the prophet and wash in the river Jordan seven times. Meekness is the principal protection from the prideful blindness that often arises from prominence, position, power, wealth, and adulation.
In other words, a person can be humble (willing to follow the Lord and defer to His judgement) without necessarily being meek (willing to listen and learn from anyone while following the Savior).
As we come unto and follow the Savior, we increasingly and incrementally are enabled to become more like Him. We are empowered by the Spirit with disciplined self-restraint and a settled and calm demeanor. Thus, meek is what we become as disciples of the Master and not just something we do.
The consistency of the Lord’s willing submission and strong self-restraint is both awe-inspiring and instructive for us all. As an armed company of temple guardsmen and Roman soldiers arrived at Gethsemane to seize and arrest Jesus, Peter drew his sword and cut off the right ear of the high priest’s servant. The Savior then touched the servant’s ear and healed him. Please note that He reached out and blessed His potential captor using the same heavenly power that could have prevented Him from being captured and crucified.
… The Savior’s meekness is evidenced in His disciplined response, strong restraint, and unwillingness to exert His infinite power for personal benefit.
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