Sidestep Compelled Humility through Meekness

Mormon teaches us "that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart," or "his faith and hope is vain."  Moroni 7:43-44

Why is that, do you think?



Here's my answer.  I think MEEKNESS means we can truly humble ourselves rather than having to be COMPELLED to be humble. When we're compelled to humility, we maybe aren't acting fully on faith, because we KNOW something needs to change. When acting in meekness, we humble ourselves because of the WORD - we act in FAITH, not knowing.

Here is my journey to this:

Moroni 6:8 "But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven."

God really wants us to repent (see also D&C 19:15-20).

Earlier this week, I reread Alma 32:
I learned that humility is the preparation state to hear the WORD, to learn WISDOM, and to REPENT. Only those that repent will find mercy. Also, one way to mercy is through afflictions.  Afflictions -> compelled humility -> word/wisdom -> repent -> mercy -> salvation.

"6 And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly HUMBLED them, and that they were in a PREPARATION to hear the WORD.
"7 Therefore he did say no more to the other multitude; but he stretched forth his hand, and cried unto those whom he beheld, who were truly PENITENT, and said unto them:
"8 I behold that ye are LOWLY IN HEART; and if so, blessed are ye."
...
"12 I say unto you, it is well that ye are cast out of your synagogues, that ye may be humble, and that ye may LEARN WISDOM; for it is necessary that ye should learn wisdom; for it is because that ye are cast out, that ye are despised of your brethren because of your exceeding poverty, that ye are brought to a LOWLINESS OF HEART; for ye are necessarily brought to be HUMBLE.
"13 And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh REPENTANCE; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find MERCY; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be SAVED."

Humility is not the same as meekness. Here's a David A. Bednar quote from April 2018:

"The Christlike quality of meekness often is misunderstood in our contemporary world. Meekness is strong, not weak; active, not passive; courageous, not timid; restrained, not excessive; modest, not self-aggrandizing; and gracious, not brash. A meek person is not easily provoked, pretentious, or overbearing and readily acknowledges the accomplishments of others.

"Whereas humility generally denotes dependence upon God and the constant need for His guidance and support, a distinguishing characteristic of meekness is a particular SPIRITUAL RECEPTIVITY to LEARNING both from the Holy Ghost and from people who may seem less capable, experienced, or educated, who may not hold important positions, or who otherwise may not appear to have much to contribute."

Now, I am wondering if meekness is the lack of heart-stubbornness that is the key to humbling ourselves without being compelled to be humble. So meekness->word->humility->repentance->mercy? Back to Alma 32:

"14 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?
"15 Yea, he that TRULY HUMBLETH HIMSELF, and REPENTETH of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea, much MORE BLESSED than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty.
"16 Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that BELIEVETH in the WORD OF GOD, and is baptized WITHOUT STUBBORNNESS of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe."

This last bit about without being brought to know ... that makes me think our afflictions bring us to KNOW something is off - to KNOW something needs to change (repent essentially means to change or to turn back). Meekness already believes we can do better because the Spirit, the Word, nudges us - without "knowing" - so acting in it is an exercise of FAITH.

Does this mean we won't experience afflictions if we are meek?  Well, maybe.  But more importantly than avoidance, perhaps meekness allows us to accept the afflictions as God's will, glorify Him through the trials, and soar through them on His wings.  Our burdens become light, as we cheerfully submit (Mosiah 24:15).