In the Depths of Humility

One of the major themes of the words of King Benjamin is the need for humility and a proper perspective of our lowly state compared to God.  As I mentioned recently, he taught that we are less than even the dust of the earth: “Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you” (Mosiah 2:41).  He quoted the angel that helped them realize their need for a Savior: “There shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.”  To find that salvation through Christ they were taught they had to be “as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him” (Mosiah 3:17,19).  This teaching on the need for humility before God clearly had the desired effect upon the people, for after he recounted the words of the angel, Mormon recorded, “They had fallen to the earth, for the fear of the Lord had come upon them.  And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth” (Mosiah 4:1-2).  This sense of their own humble state before God led them to cry out for mercy and forgiveness through the Savior, which they received. 

             But even after that, when the words of King Benjamin clearly had had the impact he sought upon the people to humble them before God, he still continued to focus on this principle that we are in a fallen and lowly state.  He reminded them that they needed to keep this perspective throughout their whole lives: “If the knowledge of the goodness of God at this time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness, and your worthless and fallen state—I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the faith even unto the end of his life.”  He sought to help them realize the greatness of God and their need to be humble before Him who knew far more than they did: “Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God.”  He again emphasized their need to retain this humility before the Lord: “I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility.”  King Benjamin reminded them again later their total dependence on God “who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are” (Mosiah 4:5-11, 21).  He knew that their salvation depended upon their total humility before the Lord and he emphasized this point over and over to them.  His words are a reminder to all of us of our need to likewise humble ourselves before God in the depths of humility and realize that we depend completely on Him.  Only with that proper perspective can we likewise “always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God” throughout our lives.