In an add-on to my study earlier today, I want to look more at the "Beware of Pride " talk by President Ezra Taft Benson.
…the Book of Mormon is the “record of a fallen people.” (D&C 20:9 .) Why did they fall?…Mormon gives the answer in the closing chapters of the book in these words: “Behold, the pride of this nation, or the people of the Nephites, hath proven their destruction.” (Moro. 8:27 .) “Beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old.” (D&C 38:39 .)
Pres. Benson is reminding us that the Book of Mormon is basically a warning of the effects of pride on an entire nation.
In the premortal council, it was pride that felled Lucifer, “a son of the morning.” (2 Ne. 24:12–15 ; see also D&C 76:25–27 ; Moses 4:3 .) 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. (See 3 Ne. 12:5 , 3 Ne. 25:1 ; D&C 29:9 ; JS—H 1:37 ; Mal. 4:1 .)
But beware of a pride , lest thou shouldst enter into b temptation . (D&C 23:1 )
I think this statement is interesting. Basically it states that as pride increases, so does temptation. I’m trying to think of an example of this. Maybe, as we’re more proud, we rely less on the word of God and His teachings because we think we can do things on our own. We don’t communicate with Heavenly Father either. I know over this past year or so, when I’ve not been doing well spiritually, I’ve been in that mindset – the "I’m fine" attitude or "I’ll work on that later, I’ve got a lot on my plate" idea. If I don’t put spiritual things first, the temporal matters can really distract. Without spiritual nutrition, the guard is let down. It’s like this scripture states: "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Eph 6:13)
The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.
Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God’s. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of “my will and not thine be done.” As Paul said, they “seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” (Philip. 2:21 .)
Our will in competition to God’s will allows desires, appetites, and passions to go unbridled. (See Alma 38:12 ; 3 Ne. 12:30 .)
Wow, pride is a scary thing – to have the mindset of "competing with God’s will" – putting His will against my own. 3 Nephi chapter 12 verses 27-30 goes right along with problems I’ve been working on:
27 Behold, it is written by them of old time, that thou shalt not commit a adultery ;28 But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman, to a lust after her, hath committed adultery already in his heart.
At the heart of pornography and lust is "enmity to God’s will" – PRIDE! Self-gratification, self-indulgence, selfishness – these are all synonyms of PRIDE.
6 Behold, they do not desire that the Lord their God, who hath a created them, should b rule and reign over them; notwithstanding his great goodness and his mercy towards them, they do set at c naught his counsels, and they will not that he should be their guide. (Hel. 12:6)
…Our enmity toward God takes on many labels, such as rebellion, hard-heartedness, stiff-neckedness, unrepentant, puffed up, easily offended, and sign seekers. The proud wish God would agree with them. They aren’t interested in changing their opinions to agree with God’s.
This statement makes me think of the whole attitude of homosexuals – who are trying to change the doctrines to justify their actions. They want God to agree with them. They aren’t interested in changing their opinions to agree with God’s. Each of this is like this in some way when we do what is contrary to God’s will.
Another major portion of this very prevalent sin of pride is enmity toward our fellowmen. We are tempted daily to elevate ourselves above others and diminish them. (See Hel. 6:17 ; D&C 58:41 .)
In the words of C. S. Lewis: “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man. … It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest. Once the element of competition has gone, pride has gone.”
This is something I need to be aware of too – especially in the world of entrepreneurship and business. There comes a times when I need to say – "I have sufficient for my needs" and not be comparing my income to those of colleagues, friends, or others. There is a "cost" for everything – those that are really "successful" in the business world may have had the "cost" of family time, spiritual progression, and the like. It’s like President David O McKay stated: “No other success can compensate for failure in the home.”
The proud stand more in fear of men’s judgment than of God’s judgment. (See D&C 3:6–7 ; D&C 30:1–2 ; D&C 60:2 .) “What will men think of me?” weighs heavier than “What will God think of me?”
2 But your mind has been on the things of the a earth more than on the things of me, your Maker, and the ministry whereunto you have been called; and you have not given heed unto my b Spirit , and to those who were set over you, but have been persuaded by those whom I have not commanded. (D&C 30:2)
The proud love “the praise of men more than the praise of God.” (John 12:42–43 .) Our motives for the things we do are where the sin is manifest . Jesus said He did “always those things” that pleased God. (John 8:29 .) Would we not do well to have the pleasing of God as our motive rather than to try to elevate ourselves above our brother and outdo another?
So the question I always need to have is, "Is what I’m doing pleasing to God?" I believe my motive for making money is to 1) support my family 2) have the ability to serve in the Church 3) be able to take care of others needs. But is that the real reason? Or am I motivated by the "clout" of making money or the judgments of men?
Some prideful people are not so concerned as to whether their wages meet their needs as they are that their wages are more than someone else’s. Their reward is being a cut above the rest. This is the enmity of pride.
…the proud let go of the iron rod. (See 1 Ne. 8:19–28 ; 1 Ne. 11:25 ; 1 Ne. 15:23–24 .)
In other words, the proud cease to read the scriptures, study the gospel, and give themselves spiritual nutrition. This means that humble people do these things for the right reasons.
Selfishness is one of the more common faces of pride. “How everything affects me” is the center of all that matters—self-conceit, self-pity, worldly self-fulfillment, self-gratification, and self-seeking.
Beware of the "What’s in it for me?" mindset! (I feel this is the root cause of pornography addiction – the selfishness and self-gratification.)
The scriptures testify that the proud are easily offended and hold grudges. (See 1 Ne. 16:1–3 .) They withhold forgiveness to keep another in their debt and to justify their injured feelings.
The proud do not receive counsel or correction easily. (See Prov. 15:10 ; Amos 5:10 .) Defensiveness is used by them to justify and rationalize their frailties and failures. (See Matt. 3:9 ; John 6:30–59 .)
If we love God, do His will, and fear His judgment more than men’s, we will have self-esteem.
Humility is our choice!
The antidote for pride is humility—meekness, submissiveness. (See Alma 7:23 .)
We can choose to humble ourselves by conquering enmity toward our brothers and sisters, esteeming them as ourselves, and lifting them as high or higher than we are. (See D&C 38:24 ; D&C 81:5 ; D&C 84:106 .)
We can choose to humble ourselves by receiving counsel and chastisement. (See Jacob 4:10 ; Hel. 15:3 ; D&C 63:55 ; D&C 101:4–5 ; D&C 108:1 ; D&C 124:61, 84 ; D&C 136:31 ; Prov. 9:8 .)
We can choose to humble ourselves by forgiving those who have offended us. (See 3 Ne. 13:11, 14 ; D&C 64:10 .)
We can choose to humble ourselves by rendering selfless service. (See Mosiah 2:16–17 .)
We can choose to humble ourselves by going on missions and preaching the word that can humble others. (See Alma 4:19 ; Alma 31:5 ; Alma 48:20 .)
We can choose to humble ourselves by getting to the temple more frequently.
We can choose to humble ourselves by confessing and forsaking our sins and being born of God. (See D&C 58:43 ; Mosiah 27:25–26 ; Alma 5:7–14, 49 .)
We can choose to humble ourselves by loving God, submitting our will to His, and putting Him first in our lives. (See 3 Ne. 11:11 ; 3 Ne. 13:33 ; Moro. 10:32 .)
Let us choose to be humble. We can do it. I know we can.
30 For it is better that ye should deny yourselves of these things, wherein ye will take up your a cross , than that ye should be cast into hell.
[…] – how ironic that these attributes are mentioned so often in the talk “Beware of Pride” by President Ezra Taft Benson and also in the talk by President […]