Tempted by Riches

When Ammoron, the Nephite traitor, wrote to Captain Moroni he made this claim about Nephi and Lehi: “Behold, your fathers did wrong their brethren, insomuch that they did rob them of their right to the government when it rightly belonged unto them” (Alma 54:17).  This is consistent with the accusation that Laman and Lemuel levied against Nephi: “Our younger brother thinks to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted more because of his words. For behold, we will not have him to be our ruler; for it belongs unto us, who are the elder brethren, to rule over this people” (2 Nephi 5:3).  They claimed that he robbed them of the right to rule when of course it was their own wickedness that had caused them to be cut off from the presence of the Lord and not become leaders to their people (see 1 Nephi 2:21-22).    

             When Ammon and King Lamoni ran into Lamoni’s father, he was shocked to see his son accompanied by a Nephite and made a slightly different claim about what happened between Nephi and Laman and Lemuel centuries before.  The Lamanite king exclaimed, “Lamoni, thou art going to deliver these Nephites, who are sons of a liar. Behold, he robbed our fathers; and now his children are also come amongst us that they may, by their cunning and their lyings, deceive us, that they again may rob us of our property” (Alma 20:13).  Again the accusation was about being robbed, but here he suggested that Nephi had actually taken physical property from Laman and Lemuel.  And from this he assumed that Ammon was going to try to steal from the Lamanites. 

This accusation against the righteous suggesting that their deepest desire is to get gain and take what is not theirs is found in other stories in the scriptures.  For example, when Zeezrom was trying to trap Amulek, he thought somehow he could do it with the allure of money: “Behold, here are six onties of silver, and all these will I give thee if thou wilt deny the existence of a Supreme Being” (Alma 11:22).  Of course Amulek knew that his faith in God was of far greater worth than worldy money.  In the New Testament when Simon saw the power of the apostles to give the Holy Ghost, he thought he could tempt Peter with money: “He offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.”  Peter of course refused, saying, “Thy money perish with thee” (Acts 8:18-20).  He was not motivated by money as Simon mistakenly assumed he would be.  Even Satan thought somehow he could tempt the Savior with the promise of wealth: “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matt. 4:8-9).  But the Savior was not deceived by the promise of riches, and He stayed true to His mission.  These stories help us see that the righteous are not motivated by worldly possessions or material gain, contrary to Lamoni father’s assumption about Ammon.  And it provides a litmus test for each of us: does the promise of wealth motivate us to go against the Lord?