Compelled to Be Humble

When Alma taught the poor people among the Zoramites, he emphasized the need for them to humble themselves willingly before the Lord.  He said, “And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?” (Alma 32:14)  I’ve wondered at why he gave such an emphasis on the need to be humble without being compelled to be humble. 

At first glance it seems that he was criticizing this people who he was trying to teach the gospel to.  Couldn’t he just be grateful that they were humble and move one?  But I think that his words reflect at least in part the difficult experience he had just had with Korihor.  He told the Zoramites, “Yea, there are many who do say: If thou wilt show unto us a sign from heaven, then we shall know of a surety; then we shall believe.  Now I ask, is this faith? Behold, I say unto you, Nay” (Alma 32:17).  Surely Korihor was on his mind as he said that.  Korihor was compelled to be humble and ended up going “about from house to house begging for his food” (Alma 30:56).  The point that I think Alma was emphasizing was that it did Korihor no good to be compelled to be humble.  Why?  Because it did not produce any faith.  Being compelled to be humble without developing faith in God does nothing to move one along in the path of salvation.  Alma’s whole message to the Zoramites was the need for them to develop real faith, the kind of faith that produces action and repentance.  If one is compelled to be humble he will “sometimes” seek repentance, but often he will not (Alma 32:13).  This point was later emphasized by Mormon when he summarized the effect of the long war in the latter chapters of Alma: “Many had become hardened, because of the exceedingly great length of the war; and many were softened because of their afflictions” (Alma 62:41).  In other words, circumstances alone did not produce the kind of humility and softening of the heart that God requires: those who experienced the same suffering through the war reacted differently.  Ultimately humility must be accompanied by a conscience choice to turn in faith towards God.   After Alma made his comments exhorting the people to not just be humble because of their circumstances but to humble themselves willingly before God, I think he acknowledged that his words might sound a little harsh to these poor Zoramites.  He told them, “I do not mean that ye all of you have been compelled to humble yourselves; for I verily believe that there are some among you who would humble themselves, let them be in whatsoever circumstances they might” (Alma 32:25).  He really wasn’t trying to criticize or prematurely judge them, but his zeal for encouraging them to find humility of their own volition reflected his desire to see no more humble but faithless men like Korihor.