29 He commandeth that there shall be no priestcrafts; for, behold, priestcrafts are that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world; but they seek not the welfare of Zion.
30 Behold, the Lord hath forbidden this thing; wherefore, the Lord God hath given a commandment that all men should have charity, which charity is love. And except they should have charity they were nothing. Wherefore, if they should have charity they would not suffer the laborer in Zion to perish.
31 But the laborer in Zion shall labor for Zion; for if they labor for money they shall perish.
Nephi sets up a vivid contrast in the passage above between those who engage in priestcraft and those who labor for Zion. Priestcraft is preaching the gospel for personal gain. In contrast, true servants of God are focused on establishing Zion, a society in which everyone takes care of each other and there are no poor (see Moses 7:18).
Nephi tells us that those who engage in priestcraft are missing a key attribute: charity. They are so concerned about “the gain and praise of the world” that they allow other people to perish.
The Savior is not focused on self-aggrandizement. His motives are unselfish and pure: “the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). If we want to be His disciples and do His work, we must also set aside selfishness and seek for the well-being of others.
Today, I will seek to act with charity. I will pay attention to my motives throughout the day. I will choose to turn my focus outward, to the welfare of others, and away from myself.
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