Unconquerable

©Darrell Wyatt

As I have mentioned before, I teach in the primary.  Today's lesson was about Job, whom I knew the story of, but had never really studied previously.  What an amazing man.  He had everything he desired - a large family, many servants, thousands of animals.  "This man was the greatest of all the men of the east."(Job 1:3)  He was wealthy, probably famous, and very happy.  And then it was all taken away from him.  Instead of cursing God, as Satan was sure that he'd do, he said "the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."(Job 1:21)

I thought about this a lot as I was preparing my lesson.  I don't think that I could've been as humble and forgiving as Job was.  Not only did he lose his material possessions, he lost his entire family and all of his friends turned away from him.  Through it all, he remained faithful to the Lord - even grateful - saying "till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me".(Job 27:5)

Compare this to what I read today in the Book of Mormon.  The Nephites and Lamanites are still warring, with many men dying on both sides.  In this particular battle, the Nephite armies had the Lamanite army surrounded.  Captain Moroni, being a man who hated bloodshed, gave the Lamanites the choice of giving up their weapons or being killed or held captive.  The leader of the Lamanite army was named Jacob.  Jacob had a lot of hatred for Moroni and was determined to kill him, so "he led the Lamanites forth to battle with exceeding fury against Moroni"(Alma 52:33).

"But behold, Moroni and his men were more powerful; therefore they did not give way before the Lamanites.  And it came to pass that they fought on both hands with exceeding fury; and there were many slain on both sides; yea, and Moroni was wounded and Jacob was killed."(Alma 52:34)

Believe it or not, I found a similarity between Jacob the Lamanite and Job.  Mormon described Jacob as having "an unconquerable spirit".  His hatred for Moroni and the Nephites was so strong that he was willing to die rather than give up that hatred.  I can't think of a better way to describe Job than to say that he also had an unconquerable spirit.  His faith in and love for God was strong enough that even though literally everything was taken from him, he would rather die than give up his integrity.  

There was a powerful lesson in this for me today.  I can also have an unconquerable spirit, but I have the power to decide what kind of spirit that will be.  Will I use my agency to allow grudges and hatred to grow, or will I strive to ever increase my faith in and love for God?  It is my choice.  

Click here to read what I read today: Alma 52