And Not Be Upbraided

As I read the second section of the Joseph Smith History today, verses 21-26, I was struck by the irony of Joseph’s final statement of verse 26 when considered in conjunction with the previous five verses.  He described how his report of his vision was rejected: a Methodist preacher treated his communication “lightly” and “with great contempt”; his story “excited a great deal of prejudice against [him] among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase”; the “public mind  [was] against” Joseph causing him “bitter persecution”; and he attracted “the attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day, and in a manner to create in them a spirit of the most bitter persecution and reviling.”  In short, his seeking an answer from God had led to intense opposition against him—we might say that the whole religious community upbraided him for asking God.  And yet, his conclusion in verse 26 was this: “I had found the testimony of James to be true—that a man who lacked wisdom might ask of God, and obtain, and not be upbraided.”  Joseph had discovered for himself that if we ask of God we can obtain answers and not be upbraided by Him for so seeking.  But, he also learned, the rest of the world may upbraid you for so asking and receiving.  The question we have to decide is whether God’s answer or the world’s upbraiding is more important to us. 

               Perhaps another lesson from Joseph’s experience recorded here is that we can find strength in the scriptures to hold fast to the testimony the Lord has given us.  It was scripture—the words of James—that led Joseph into the grove, and when the world turned against him he found strength in the story of Paul in the scriptures.  He explained, “I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision” (v24).  Though he had few living supporters who could confirm his story, he found support from Paul and strength in the scriptures.  Just like Abinadi pulled in Isaiah to stand with him as he witnessed against the wicked priests of King Noah and testified of Jesus Christ, Joseph similarly brought in Paul to his own defense as a second witness of the truthfulness of his account.  The scriptures will lead us to prayer to find answers from God, and those answers should lead us back to the scriptures to confirm our faith and strengthen our resolve to be true to the knowledge that the Lord has given us.  As Joseph found was true of God, the prophets of the scriptures will likewise never upbraid us for our witness of truth—their testimony will always support ours.