Now, I don’t mean, he likes characters. He’s not looking for funny, talented or well-spoken people to make his life interesting. I mean I believe that Jesus likes people who have a certain sense of themselves, who have considered and committed to certain values in their lives, and who do so without fear of what others may think or do.
To Joseph Smith, when he had succumbed to pressure from Martin Harris to let him take some pages of the manuscript of the Book of Lehi (originally part of The Book of Mormon) for examination by others, resulting in them being lost, the Lord said, “You should not have feared man more than God.”[1]
Perhaps it would do well for each of us, at times, to hold up that phrase as our motto: I will not fear man more than God.
That is to say:
I will not be concerned t hat the styles of the world are more loose than mine should be, that the tastes of the world lean more toward substances that are harmful or addictive, or that the entertainment of the world is more focused on lewdness and vulgarity than on loveliness and virtue. I will not fear what man might think when I uphold standards of modesty, moral cleanliness, honesty, frugality, temperance, self-restraint and charity.
Typically, we call this quality of character, integrity.
The Old Testament tells the story of Jephthah, who might have been described as a man of integrity, who did not fear man more than God.[2]
Jephthah was a son of Gilead, but his mother was not Gilead’s wife. She was a harlot.[3] So, when the sons of Gilead’s wife grew up, they thrust Jephthah out the house and said he would not be entitled to any inheritance from their father.[4] Jephthah travelled then to the land of Tob, where he gained a reputation as a brave soldier and had several followers.[5] Evidently, being disowned and cast out by his family did not leave him without confidence enough to become a leader.
You might notice that this story seems to parallel in this way the story of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by his brothers and went on to become the deputy of the Pharoah.[6] And just as Joseph’s family came to him to obtain food in the midst of famine,[7] so the Gileadites eventually came to Jephthah on account of his reputation to make him the captain over their army because the Ammonites were attacking.[8]
It was a good choice. Jephthah was completely successful in defending his brethren and defeating their enemies. The Old Testament record says that as he went out to fight, the Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and the Lord delivered his enemies into his hands.[9]
Positive things about Jephthah’s character are demonstrated throughout this story: Despite his family’s faithlessness, he retains his sense of justice and fairness and his integrity. He does not seek revenge against his family when they come seeking his aid. He doesn’t ever criticize them, but only questions, “Didn’t you hate me?”[10]
Ultimately he does not begrudge his family his protection, but applies his faith and his skills to defend them. His only concern is whether their integrity is as intact and reliable as his own. He asks, if I fight for you and succeed, will you then make me head of the family? They agree to do so. [11]
But the story also describes one further test of Jephthah’s integrity; a test which he appears to pass, but actually fails.
Just as Jephthah’s early story is reminiscent of Joseph in Egypt, so his later story reminds us somewhat of Abraham when he was commanded by the Lord to sacrifice his only son, Isaac.[12]
Before Jephthah leaves for battle, he makes a vow to the Lord: [13]
If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering. |
Jephthah had not forgotten his vow. He had made a promise to the Lord, and his integrity demanded that he keep it, regardless of the personal cost.
When Abraham was called by God to sacrifice Isaac, the Angel of the Lord intervened, and confirming God’s acknowledgement of Abraham’s faith and integrity, substituted a goat for the boy and saved his life.[16]
There was no such intervention for Jephthah’s daughter, and she died upon the altar, a human sacrifice to the living God.[17]
So, what do you think of integrity now? What do you think of Jephthah’s character? Did he do right, or did he do wrong?
He had made a vow to God, and he kept it. That is integrity, isn’t it? If I promise to pay my tithing, should I not do it despite the degree of financial strain that might cause me? Should I not keep the Sabbath day holy and make a point of attending Sacrament meeting? Should I not obey the Word of Wisdom, even if my friends will reject me? So, if I promise the Lord to cut off my arm, because he said if thine hand offend thee cut it off, should I not do it? If I promise to offer my child up on the altar, should I not follow through?
Jephthah had no control over who or what would come out of his house when he returned from battle. As I suggested already, perhaps he believed the Lord would send some pet or livestock to him, just as God has sent a goat to Abraham; he apparently had not imagined it would be his only child, his innocent daughter. The choice of what to kill, he left in God’s hands, and, having seen God’s choice, he gave into God’s hands, her life.
Was this Jephthah’s fault, or the decision of God all along?
Well, much of Jewish commentary on this Old Testament story calls Jephthah ignorant: ignorant for making his vow, and ignorant for keeping it. [18] Why? Because it was already known then that the God of Israel did not want human sacrifice.[19] Jephthah should have known this, but some commentaries suggest that because of being cast out by his brethren, he was influenced by the culture of the non-Israelite people with whom he lived, for whom human sacrifice was a practice. [20]
Apparently there had been a way out. Apparently there was power in the hands of the high priest to absolve a person of a misspoken vow to God. [21] This was a possibility, to release Jephthah from his promise with his integrity intact. Perhaps he just didn’t know or some other commentators say he was simply too vain to back down from his poorly chosen words,[22] that perhaps he didn’t want to seem weak, cowardly or wishy-washy to his soldiers and family after having just so successfully won their respect and the leadership of the tribe; so perhaps Jephthah feared man more than God after all.
Jephthah was therefore possibly guilty of the sin that the Apostle Paul attributed to the Jews of his time:
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.[22]
So, why do I share this unhappy story? Why does the Bible tell it?
It is important for us to recognize that character and integrity involve more than just keeping promises, more than doing what we say just because we have said it. Integrity – like any other virtue – is not just a mechanical process of knowing and applying certain rules of behaviour; honesty, integrity, virtue – these are more than simply doing what we say will do; they require us to do what is right. Ultimately, good character and genuine integrity involve wise judgment.
The weakness demonstrated by Jephthah’s story is that of a man whose quality was that of having learned good behaviour rather than having developed good character.
This is a lower standard than we should live by, particularly as followers of Jesus Christ.
In the Articles of Faith of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, number 13 states:
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things. |
I appreciate that it does not say, for example, we believe in telling the truth, in having integrity, in remaining morally clean, in doing kind deeds, and so forth.
That is, it does not say we believe in doing, but we believe in being. This is really the point of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In this regard, the following quotations from two latter-day prophets help to demonstrate the pre-eminence of becoming and being over doing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
First, Elder David A. Bednar, in “Becoming a Missionary,” from the October 2005 General Conference of the Church:[24]
My dear young brethren, the single most important thing you can do to prepare for a call to serve is to become a missionary long before you go on a mission. Please notice that in my answer I emphasized becoming rather than going. Let me explain what I mean. |
The Apostle Paul taught that the Lord’s teachings and teachers were given that we may all attain “the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13). This process requires far more than acquiring knowledge. It is not even enough for us to be convinced of the gospel; we must act and think so that we are converted by it. In contrast to the institutions of the world, which teach us to know something, the gospel of Jesus Christ challenges us to become something. |
But if becoming is pre-eminent over doing; and if doing, in and of itself, is not the same as becoming (yet is an essential trait of being good), then he question becomes, how do I become?
The scriptures tell us that all fall short of the glory of God.[26]
Jesus himself said, “There is none good but one, that is God.”[27]
And throughout the early gospel writings - particularly the letters of Paul - is the insistent refrain, that it is not we who do good, but "God which worketh in [us]."[28]
And therein, then, lies our answer:
the key to becoming good, is
to let God make us that way.
As Jesus told his disciples according to the Gospel of John,[29]
This does not mean that obedience to gospel laws and commandments is not a vitally important thing to do; it does not mean that rules of conduct be ignored. What it does mean, however, is that I believe that without the wisdom and witness of the Spirit by faith in Jesus Christ both before, and through and behind them, and the enabling gifts of His grace to guide and empower them, such things might make for temporarily good behaviour, but they will not result in genuine and lasting good character.
At least, my own experience agrees, in so far as I know that when I rely upon the Lord for His righteousness, rather than solely relying on myself for what I presume to be mine, I firstly am, and then, as a result, I also do, better.
I believe it is not, as some might have it, a "cop-out" to rely on faith to improve and ultimately perfect one's character - it is not an excuse for not doing all one can to do good; but it might just be the only way to truly and fully achieve it.
[1] Doctrine and Covenants 3:7.
[2] See Judges 11 and 12.
[3] Judges 11:1.
[4] Judges 11:2.
[5] Judges 11:3.
[6] Genesis 37-45.
[7] Genesis 42:1-6.
[8] Judges 11:4-6.
[9] Judges 11:29, 32-33.
[10] Judges 11:7.
[11] Judges 11:9-10.
[12] Genesis 22:2.
[1] 3Judges 11:30-31.
[14] Judges 11:34.
[15] Judges 11:35.
[16] Genesis 22:10-13.
[17] Judges 11:39.
[18] See, e.g., Wiesel, Elie, Sages and Dreamers – Biblical, Talmudic and Hasidic Portraits and Legends (Summit Books , Toronto, 1991) p. 41 [35-49].
[19] Ibid., p. 45.
[20] Ibid., p. 44.
[21] Ibid., p. 45 and 46.
[22] Ibid., p. 45.
[23] Romans 10:3.
[24] Ensign, November 2005, pp. 44-47. Quoted material found at page 45.
[25] Ensign, November 2000.
[26] Cf. Romans 3:23.
[27] Mark 10:18 and Luke 18:19.
[28] Philippians 2:13.
[29] John 15: 1, 4-5.
Adapted from a talk delivered on January 23, 2011, in the Walkerton Branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This was, I believe, the first time I think I ever tried to articulate the concluding idea. Not well enough done yet.