Despise Not

Moroni described the state of the Lamanites around him after his entire people had been destroyed. He wrote, “And behold also, the Lamanites are at war one with another; and the whole face of this land is one continual round of murder and bloodshed; and no one knoweth the end of the war” (Mormon 8:8). He was left among a people who were filled with anger and violence after seeing that same anger and violence destroy his people. After seeing all of his family and loved ones, especially his father, be killed by the senseless war, he was surely tempted to be filled with bitterness and wrath and his lot in life. But instead he turned to the Lord and invited us to shun anger and contention. He wrote, “And whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall know of greater things than these…. Therefore, he that condemneth, let him be aware lest he shall be in danger of hell fire…. For behold, the same that judgeth rashly shall be judged rashly again; for according to his works shall his wages be; therefore, he that smiteth shall be smitten again, of the Lord.” These verses warn us of the consequences of condemning and rashly judging others, of being filled with so much anger that we smith others. He continued, “And he that shall breathe out wrath and strifes against the work of the Lord, and against the covenant people of the Lord who are the house of Israel, and shall say: We will destroy the work of the Lord, and the Lord will not remember his covenant which he hath made unto the house of Israel—the same is in danger to be hewn down and cast into the fire” (Mormon 8:12-21). While speaking specifically of those who fight against the work of the Lord, I believe the warning here against breathing out wrath and strife is for all of us. Our society today us full of those who stir up anger and seem to breath wrath as they attempt to stir up contention. Moroni, living in a land full of contention, warned us to shun the anger and hatred that can so easily fill our hearts if we are not careful.

                Moroni asked us these powerful questions: “And now, behold, who can stand against the works of the Lord? Who can deny his sayings? Who will rise up against the almighty power of the Lord? Who will despise the works of the Lord? Who will despise the children of Christ? Behold, all ye who are despisers of the works of the Lord, for ye shall wonder and perish.” He was warning us against becoming a despiser—we must rise above the contention of the world and avoid the voices that invite us to despise this person or that situation. The Lord wants us to be peacemakers; the adversary wants to make us despisers. Moroni gave us the antidote to avoid the despising of our day: “O then despise not, and wonder not, but hearken unto the words of the Lord, and ask the Father in the name of Jesus for what things soever ye shall stand in need. Doubt not, but be believing, and begin as in times of old, and come unto the Lord with all your heart, and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling before him.” Instead of succumbing to the temptation to despise others and the situations we find ourselves in, we must come unto the Lord and pray to the Father in the name of Jesus. We must “ask with a firmness unshaken” and “serve the true and living God.” As we come unto Him with all our heart in fervent prayer, He will help us overcome the divisiveness and contention and hatred that fills our society today. Moroni chose to soften his heart amidst the incredible hardness of the hearts of the people of his day, and we can do the same as we breathe out kindness and love and exercise “faith on the name of Jesus Christ.” If we do, then He can “bless [us] forever” (Mormon 9:26-28, 37).