Jacob 2

It strikes me again the pride is in the comparison. It isn't bad to be happy to be smart, it's bad to be
happier to be smarter than others, or think you are better because of it. So then, is it bad to want a nice
house, and nice things, or is it bad to want nicer things than others? It didn't seem to be a sin for the
Nephites to look for the gold, only to be proud and unkind once they found it. He even said the Lord
blessed them in their desire to find it, which means it couldn't be bad, because he doesn't bless us in
unrighteous desires, right?

Then Jacob tells us to be familiar and free with our substance that they might be rich like unto you. Is it
my pride then, that thinks people should be rewarded according to their labors? I guess not necessarily.
It might have to do with giving people an opportunity to work, and paying them generously, giving good
gifts, helping those who can't help themselves. I guess the answer is, as always, you just have to follow
the Spirit in everything you do!

Okay, so I keep reading and he says it's not okay to want to be rich to want a nice house. If I've found a
perfect faith in Christ I would only want more money to be able to do more good with it. I can see that is
true, because the more I do to be close to the Lord in a day, the less I care about a nice house and a new
car, etc. I can more honestly say I'd rather have my husband home than be rich, and that I don't care.
But the less righteously I am living in general, the more those things start to matter.

I'm also stuck with Jacob's talk about all flesh being the same before God. I can be so unkind, and
judgmental to His children. Yet I am no better than any of they, really. And it is an abomination to God,
which as a parent I can truly understand. I pray for a kinder heart today!

I wonder if the whoredoms were a greater wickedness that the Lamenites because of the gravity of
sexual sin, or because they knew better, or because they were destroying their families, the very basic
government and glory of God.