Jacob 3:9-10--Your Own Filthiness

9. Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins; neither shall ye revile against them because of their filthiness; but ye shall remember your own filthiness, and remember that their filthiness came because of their fathers.

10. Wherefore, ye shall remember your children, how that ye have grieved their hearts because of the example that ye have set before them; and also, remember that ye may, because of your filthiness, bring your children unto destruction, and their sins be heaped upon your heads at the last day.

Whereas in 2 Nephi we had many of the words of Jacob as recorded by Nephi, here we have Jacob's word as recorded by himself. In chapter 2 he chastises the men for breaking the hearts of their wives and children, and he praises the chastity of women. Some of that is carrying over into chapter 3. It's interesting to me that after about 50 or 60 years, already there has been not only the division of Nephites from Lamanites, but that the Nephites themselves appear to be divided, at least by Jacob, into those who are pure in heart and those who are not. The first two verses of chapter 3 are directed towards the pure in heart, and the rest is directed to those who are filthy.

That filthy portion of the Nephites is worse off than the Lamanites. One thing that is clear from verse 9 is that the dark skin of the Lamanites was not itself filthiness. The Nephites are told not to revile against them for their dark skins or for their filthiness--two separate reasons. The Nephites are then told to remember their own filthiness.

So often I find myself inwardly accusing others with an air of self-righteousness. I’ve got to stop. I may not be filthy in the way these Nephites were, but I do have filthiness of my own. When I remember it, I am more humble and kind towards others. When I remember my own filthiness, I give others the benefit of the doubt. It’s easier to assume that any faults they may have probably came because of their parents (or lack thereof). I, on the other hand, do not have the excuse of bad parenting. My parents brought me up in righteousness. I have been taught. I have felt. And yet I sin. Occasionally I am filthy. I must not forget my own filthiness.

As an added incentive, in verse 10 we are told to remember that our filthiness may be the cause for destruction of our children. I am strengthened by remembering my children, especially since James does everything I do. When I run past the big purple ball in the back yard yelling, he runs past it yelling just like me. When I roll on the ball, he rolls on the ball. When I throw a frisbee, he throws a frisbee. When I read the paper, he reads the paper. One time I used a spoon to stir his apple juice and then tasted the juice using the spoon, and he spent most of dinner drinking his apple juice with his spoon. When I jump, he jumps. When I clap my hands, he does too. Remembering these things is such a strength against temptation. I’ve will write to my kids about the feelings I have for them, especially the happy times we have together. I will also write that to myself so I always remember my kids.