27 Yea, he was exceedingly wroth, and he did curse God, and also Moroni, swearing with an oath that he would drink his blood; and this because Moroni had kept the commandments of God in preparing for the safety of his people.
28 And it came to pass, that on the other hand, the people of Nephi did thank the Lord their God, because of his matchless power in delivering them from the hands of their enemies.
In these two short verses, Mormon teaches two important principles as he contrasts the attitude and behavior of Amalickiah with Moroni and the Nephites.
- Amalickiah was motivated by anger and a desire for vengeance. Moroni was motivated by a desire to obey God and to protect his people.
- Amalickiah acted alone. In the prior verse we learn that “he was exceedingly angry with his people.” In this passage, he swears to conquer Moroni and his people, without any mention of his armies. Moroni, in contrast, acted in unity with his people. Mormon describes their collective actions.
- Amalickiah cursed God, focusing on his trials and blaming them on others. Moroni’s people expressed gratitude to God, focusing on the blessings they had received and acknowledging their source.
Today I will follow the example of the Nephites. I will love God and my neighbors. I will act in harmony with others. And I will focus on the positive, expressing gratitude to God for my blessings.
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