Helaman 12

PRIDE- A lack or absence of humility or teachableness. Pride sets people in opposition to each other and to God. A proud person sets himself above those around him and follows his own will rather than God’s will. Conceit, envy, hardheartedness, and haughtiness are also typical of a proud person.

Historically, the abundance with which the Lord has blessed his people has proved to be one of their greatest tests. The cycles of their acquiring worldly wealth and their subsequent spiritual decline are well documented in scriptural and historical records.

In Helaman 12 Mormon emphasized the foolishness of those who set their hearts upon the vain or worthless, empty, and valueless things of the world.

 

2 Yea, and we may see at the very time when he doth prosper his people, yea… then is the time that they do harden their hearts, and do forget the Lord their God, and do trample under their feet the Holy One—yea, and this because of their ease, and their exceedingly great prosperity.

 4 O how foolish, and how vain, and how evil, and devilish, and how quick to do iniquity, and how slow to do good, are the children of men; yea, how quick to hearken unto the words of the evil one, and to set their hearts upon the vain things of the world!

 

 

The scriptures are full of warnings about Pride;

 

• Beware that thou forget not the Lord lest thine heart be lifted up:Deut. 8:11–14;
• Pride and arrogancy do I hate:Prov. 8:13; ( Prov. 6:16–17; )
• Pride goeth before destruction:Prov. 16:18;
• God resisteth the proud:1 Pet. 5:5;
• The pride of this nation hath proven their destruction:Moro. 8:27;
• All the proud shall be stubble:Mal. 4:1

 

 

 

The central feature of pride is enmity toward God and our fellowmen.

Pride is a very misunderstood sin, and many are sinning in ignorance.

Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing.

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 one of Satan's greatest tools. He can use it to change any virtue into a vice.

The pride cycle seems to be attached to an "agency cycle." The Lord blesses us, teaches us, and then has to withdraw to let us choose. It's when we falter that the pride cycle begins.

 

Elder Joe J. Christensen of the Seventy taught “In the scriptures there are many indications that pride has risen to destroy individuals, nations, and in some cases even the Church itself. . . .“It has been calculated that no fewer than thirty times throughout the Book of Mormon the cycles of prosperity and peace were destroyed, principally by the effects of human pride”

We also see this same pattern of pride, hardness of heart, and rejection of the truth in the face of prosperity. Indeed, the Book of Mormon is a record of an entire people greatly favored of the Lord who succumbed to the temptations of pride, rejected the Lord, and were destroyed.

The Book of Mormon was written for us. It bears witness of Jesus Christ and warns us of the perils of pride, both in prosperity and in adversity.

 

 

Pride is the Universal sin, the great vice. The antidote for pride is humility. Ezra Taft Benson

 

Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right. Ezra Taft Benson

 

I have read dozens of talks that speak of the cycle of pride and the difficulty in breaking it.

Being stripped of pride and becoming meek and lowly in heart is not easy. We cannot do it by ourselves. But there are patterns of life we can establish that will help us beware of pride, remember Christ, humble ourselves before Him, and put ourselves in His hands.

 

Here are but a few:

 

·        We should compare ourselves to Christ instead of others. How do I measure up to the Savior?

·         Christ-like service: trying to become like him, praying for charity, and then doing what he would have us do.

·         Loving others, building them up, and helping bear their burdens

·         Repentance can lead to humility.

·         We always need to remember the Lord and acknowledge His blessings.

·         We must continually pray for charity.

·         We must receive the Savior's image in our countenances.