Integrity

Today I read Alma 44, the continuation of the account of the Nephites battle against Zerahemnah. Believe it or not, the part of this chapter that stands out to me as a whole is integrity. Integrity is known as the adherence to a moral or ethical principle. And the person who's integrity impresses me in this chapter is Zerahemnah.

By this chapter, the Nephites led by the armies of Moroni and Lehi have completely surrounded the Lamanites and it is only a matter of time before the Lamanite army is wiped out. Moroni being a good and righteous man offers them a way out, but giving up their weapons and promising to never return again to battle. Now, most people when they read Zerahemnah's response probably can only think about how stubborn he is that he won't promise Moroni such a simple thing to save his life and the life of his men. However, look at his response: "...but we will not suffer ourselves to take an oath unto you, which we know that we shall break, and also our children;"

Believe it or not, that is showing integrity. The reason he would not take the oath and save his people is because he knew he would not be able to keep such an oath, and rather than lie and take the oath with the intent to break it later, he chose to die instead of break an oath. THAT is powerful! Now, Zerahemnah was an evil man who came up to war in the first place, and he was by no means the only person who felt this way, he's just the only one in this chapter.

Think what it would mean in this day and age if people would rather die as opposed to break their promise. What a world that would be. No more contracts within contracts. How amazing would it be when even a promise made to an enemy was sacred and would be kept. We are told that once upon a time in America men and women also had such integrity, but not anymore. Not very many people feel this strongly about keeping their word anymore.

What is even more amazing to me about this chapter is the fact that there would be no real consequences if Zerahemnah made the oath and then broke it beyond his potential death in a war which was a certainty anyway if he went to war. How many people do things only out of fear of punishment? I'm ashamed to admit there are things in my past that I did only because I didn't want to get in trouble. But no, there would have been no punishment for breaking such an oath beyond the personal and perhaps social shame of it. And yet he chose death rather than to take an oath he knew he could not keep. I'll say it again, that's powerful!

I wish everyone kept their word that studiously. I wish I did. I could certainly be better about it. I do find comfort in that I think most people do try, but people's memories are not what they used to be. I know that is mostly my excuse. But I do enjoy when I have the reputation at work that if you give me something to do, it will get done and get done right. That is what it means to keep your word.

We may not be able to have the integrity of the Nephites and Lamanites and studiousness of keeping our word right away, but being able to keep your word is a reputation you can build on, one day at a time. Hopefully each of us can examine our lives and find where we are lacking in keeping our word and for what reason and work on correcting it. It really is that important. I know I will make changes to do so. Until tomorrow.