An Oft-Repeated Folly

Tonight, for Family Scripture Study, we read the story of how Joseph Smith allowed Martin Harris to lose the 116 translated pages that were the Book of Lehi. Martin Harris's desires were understandable. His wife doubted the validity of the work. He wanted to show her proof that he was investing his time and money well. It was a valid request, and Joseph took it to the Lord. But the answer was no, and that should have been the end of it. Yet, it wasn't. Martin Harris wasn't happy with that answer, and I can't blame him, so he asked for a different answer. Unfortunately, he got the same one: no. Still not satisfied (and I'm not sure I would have been), Martin Harris asked Joseph Smith to ask God again, and this third time, God basically said "do whatever you want," so they did, and it went badly for them. The 116 manuscript pages were lost. Both Martin Harris and Joseph Smith were miserable, and this whole experience cost both of them serious repentance and severe consequences.

Now, the moral of this story is obvious in hindsight. When you pray and get an answer, you accept that answer. Don't go back and ask God to change His mind. He won't, and even if He does, it won't go well for you. God's commandments are there for our protection. They're warnings against the bad things that will happen if we break them. Martin Harris was bound to lose those 116 pages, but heeding God's warning would have prevented that. It seems so obvious. And yet...

How often do we find ourselves in a similar situation? How often do we know the Lord's will, but still ask for His permission to defy it? How often do we ask to be the exception to the rule? How often do we know the Lord's will, but do our own will anyway? And how often do we pay the price for it?

Every sin is a reenactment of Joseph Smith's and Martin Harris's folly. Every time we knowingly break one of God's many commandments, we essentially tell God "I know you said not to do this, but I'm doing it anyway." Every infraction is just as damning as that of Joseph Smith and Martin Harris, and the consequences are always just as severe... just maybe not for us.

Our Savior paid the price for all our sins, regardless of whatever price we'll ultimately have to pay. Joseph Smith and Martin Harris paid dearly for their infraction. Maybe we will, too, or maybe we won't. But whether we have to pay or not, we know that Christ will have to. 

Personally, I'd like to think that I'd rather spare us all the heartache. I'd like to think that I'd try not to disappoint God and make mistakes that Jesus would then have to pay for. I'd like to think that I'd be wiser than Joseph Smith and Martin Harris, but would I?

I know God's will. At least, I know enough of it that I know I don't always do it, just as Joseph Smith and Martin Harris didn't. I disobey, and I know that a price needs to be paid for it. I need to repent, and to keep repenting until I finally learn the lesson that seems so obvious now: When the Lord commands, do it. When the Lord commands not to do it, don't do it.

It seems so simple. Foolproof, even. Unfortunately, we are all fools, and this plan isn't quite foolproof. We all defy the will of God from time to time, and the consequences for doing so are always great. You'd think we'd learn from Joseph Smith and Martin Harris and listen to God the first time.