Jacob 2:35 -- On Causing Harm

"Behold, ye have done greater iniquities than the Lamanites, our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the strictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds."
Jacob 2:35


As unproductive and pointless as it is, we have a tendency to compare sins. We think to ourselves, well, yes, I did something bad, but at least I didn't do [insert some other sin here].  That's not a very good way to think about sin, especially as it encourages us to judge other people by their sins, which is not a flattering way to look at anyone, and likely not have we want anyone looking at us. :)

Interestingly though, Jacob makes a sin comparison here that kind of turns the idea on its head.  In the next chapter he explains further about the Lamanites following the commandments with regard to their wives and children (Jacob 3:5-7), and in verse 9 mentions that their filthiness came because of their fathers--basically it seems that this hatred against the Nephites that they had learned from their fathers (and the resultant attempts to kill the Nephites) was easier for God to forgive than the "whoredoms" of the Nephites.

Obviously comparison doesn't justify hatred, murder, or whoredoms.  We shouldn't ever tell ourselves that it is okay to do one thing because it isn't "as bad" as another.  However, I think this story tells us one thing clearly--that mental and emotional damage is at least as harmful as physical damage, in the eyes of the Lord.  Today, let's make sure that we are bending over backwards to avoid harming others, in any way.  Let's think about what we say and do and do everything we can to heal rather than hurt... as Christ did, and does, for us.