Mosiah 21

(September 6, 2015)

                There is a very human tendency to think that if we are good at one thing that we are good at everything.  If we are successful in our chosen careers, we think our opinion about morality or politics or medicine matters.  One of the most amusing (yet destructive) ways this manifests is in the scientists who, because of their knowledge, think they are fit to opine on moral or theological subjects clearly beyond the reach of science.

                We see a great example of the opposite here.  Ammon is a worthy man, with a testimony of Mosiah’s capacities.  He is brave, and must have some capacity as he was chosen to lead the expedition to the people of Limhi and he was able to lead them out of the predicament they were in.  And yet, despite this, he found himself an unworthy servant to baptize the people when they asked him.

                We each have been given our stewardships, and whom the Lord calls He qualifies.  But beyond that, we must be careful to recognize our weaknesses outside of limited areas of competence.  We especially should be cautious to avoid the belief that our intellectual or professional accomplishments somehow make us experts on religious or moral matters outside of our stewardships (and yes, I am aware of the irony in making that statement in this forum).