"More Blessed Who Truly Humble Themselves Because of the Word," Alma 32:7-20

Alma 32:7-20

This group of verses, a discussion on humility unto repentance, reminds me that much more blessed is the man who compels himself to be humble because of the word of God than because of his own poverty or other personally humbling circumstances.

As I've studied these verses, I've cross referenced over to Matthew 5 and re-read this first chapter of the Sermon on the Mount. "I behold that ye are lowly in heart; and if so, blessed are ye." (Alma 32:8)

These people come to Alma with something of a "victim's mentality." They fully believed that they could not worship God because of their poverty. (see vs. 9-11)

I've spent a little time trying to understand how God acts when he affixes a curse.

Re-reading the follwing verses this morning has caused me to reflect on my own life, and what a significant influence these verses have had in my life from the time that I was in my adolescence.

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.

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.