DIVINE HUMILITY

 

 

One of the greatest lessons the Saviour taught when He established His Church in the meridian of time was one of humility. This is something we need to take note of especially in the Church.

There was something of a hierarchy in my mission field. It was like a ladder of progression which was deemed by us as success. We all felt important when we were elevated to higher positions. The progression of success went like this: becoming a senior companion, district leader, zone leader, assistant to the President, a member of the ‘power team’.

It makes us feel good when we are recognized and utilized for our abilities. Sometimes too good. The downside of the hierarchy is that it makes others that don’t make it to these stations feel like they are less.

My Mission President realized he needed to teach us young kids in the Church the danger of authority that was placed on us. He often referred us to D&C 121:39 which points out that authority can lead to ‘unrighteous dominion’. Such is the danger of pride.

Over the years I have witnessed some pretty prideful priesthood leaders in the Church and some very humble ones too. Authority comes with danger and an opportunity. Pride is he danger and humility is the opportunity.

The Saviour said in that scripture that it is ‘the nature and disposition of every man’ to get carried away with authority so He endeavoured to give us a lesson in humility that we should never forget.

At the last supper, the Saviour washed the feet of the apostles. I believe it is a priesthood ordinance practiced by the Twelve of the Church to this day. No doubt it is meant to remind them that they are servants and of humility the Saviour exercised when He did so. The lesson is that he who is the master is the servant of all.

This, however, is the greatest lesson the Saviour taught by washing of the feet. When He explained the ordinance to His disciples and said, “the servant is not greater than his lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him”, He was speaking about himself (John 13:16). He that was sent was Jesus and He that sent Him was God the Father.

Such was the humility of Christ who sought the honour and glory of His Father. Never at any time did He seek to elevate himself above the God who was above Him. Think about this and compare it to Lucifer who was once in authority in the presence of God, and who sought to dethrone them both (D&C 76:25-26; Isaiah 14:12-20).

Is there a greater humility than the Saviour of the world? Think of the power within His grasp that was never used for self when He walked upon this earth. Think of the power He had to walk off that cross and save himself. Think of the pride He never succumbed to. This is the God we worship, this is the God we love, this is the God we follow……and follow we should to the ends of the earth.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Greatest Among You by Yongsung Kim)

THE MYSTERIOUS BOOK OF MORMON

 

 

When Alma handed over the records of his people to his son Helaman, he told him that they should be handed down from one generation to another until they will go forth to every nation and every people to come to know of ‘the mysteries’ that they contain (Alma 37:4).

My favourite section of the Doctrine and Covenants is Section 76 which says that the hidden mysteries of God’s kingdom and even the wonders of eternity will be revealed to faithful saints (D&C 76:5-10). I have for a long time wanted to know the mysteries and I believe the Book of Mormon has been extremely influential in the realization of this desire.

What are mysteries? President Joseph Fielding Smith has said that ‘mysteries are those principles of the gospel necessary for our salvation that are not understood by the world’; the Book of Mormon Institute Manual says that ‘they are the saving principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as revealed because of faith and obedience’ but Elder Bruce R. McConkie gives the best explanation: “Any gospel truth, however easy and simple, that is not understood, or that is beyond present spiritual capacity of a given person to understand, is to him a mystery” (The Mortal Messiah 2, p 164).

I am often amazed by the critics of The Book of Mormon who discount what is contained therein. This book is so much easier to understand than the Bible into which certain errors had crept through ‘ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests’ (Teachings of Joseph Smith, p 327). Don’t get me wrong, I love the Bible but every time a doctrinal principle becomes clearer to my understanding because of the Book of Mormon, I become more and more grateful for this sacred book. I guess you can say, the Book of Mormon reveals to me ‘my mysteries’.

Alma stressed the importance of scripture to Helaman in great detail but in the end he conceded that the real purpose of preserving the records is known to God who ‘counsels in wisdom over all his works’ and then he calls the records sacred because God will show forth his ‘power’ through them unto future generations (Alma 37:12, 14). Who are the future generations? I believe it is us of this dispensation of time and this is the power: “What then is the power of the Book of Mormon? It will proclaim the everlasting gospel; it will gather Israel; it will build the New Jerusalem; it will prepare a people for the Second Coming; it will usher in the Millenium – at least it will play such an important part in all of these that its value and power can scarcely be overstated” (The Millenial Messiah [1982], p 171).

These then are the mysteries which the world does not understand, the mysteries of this dispensation of time which will bring us to the Millenium. These are the mysteries which only the sheep of the Shepherd of Israel hear and understand and accept. These are the mysteries that enlarge the caverns of our hearts and which feed the soul of every Israelite in anticipation of every prophecy of the mysterious book we hold in our hands, the book which bears witness of our God, the King of Kings who will return with healing in His wings.

How much you must love those

Who have borne witness of Thy name!

Thy prophets of old, Thine everlasting friends,

Thine angels who herald

Thy gospel and Thy name;

To the ends of the earth they speak

And their words forever remain.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Moroni Burying the Plates by Katie Payne)