Alma 10

(September 20, 2013)
I have often remarked on the gentle pull that I feel from the Lord to live my life better.  I have always looked on that as a great gift, but I also realize after reading of Amulek being called and not hearing that the fact that the Lord has had to continually reinitiate this gentle pull is evidence that I too have been called and would not hear.  I need to exercise determination to respond this time as did Amulek.

The other thought was just the unrighteousness of lawyers and judges.  I think there are probably a couple of reasons for it.  First, I would look at pride – there is a certain status level that comes from being a lawyer and a judge (not to mention intellectual pride).  Second, wealth is a common factor among lawyers and judges (unfortunately – or fortunately – my finances are such that this isn’t a problem that I face).

Finally, and I think that this means more than most people know, lawyers and judges make their living by twisting and bending the law and seeing where it holds and where it breaks.  Disrespect for the law is more common among lawyers than among laymen.  This disrespect for law, I have seen, translates to disrespect for Law.  We expect that our capacity to twist out of a criminal conviction allows us to twist out of the law of chastity (using one lawyer I know as an example).

That is one blessing about my personality – I have never developed this particular trait.  I understand the weaknesses of the law but I have never doubted the strength of the Law.  I use my skill as a lawyer to attempt to understand the Law (perhaps this, too, is a mistake) but I don’t likewise use those skills to escape the Law.