“More Wise Than We”

How much irony do you detect in the following passage?

Condemn me not because of mine imperfection, neither my father, because of his imperfection, neither them who have written before him; but rather give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been.

Mormon 9:31

Surely, Moroni understands that it is easier to criticize than to create, and that when we are hypercritical, we have a tendency to think we’re smarter than we actually are. As Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf has observed, “There is nothing noble or impressive about being cynical. Skepticism is easy—anyone can do it. It is the faithful life that requires moral strength, dedication, and courage” (“Be Not Afraid, Only Believe,” General Conference, October 2015).

So I doubt Moroni is actually conceding his critics’ superior wisdom. After all, he doesn’t say, “Give thanks unto God that ye are more wise than we.” He simply says, “…that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been.” Detecting imperfections doesn’t automatically make us wise; it merely gives us the raw material from which we can learn wisdom.

New leaders often discover that it’s way easier to criticize your predecessor than to take his or her place. Some of your proposed improvements may look a little different when you are actually accountable for the results. Furthermore, you bring a different set of weaknesses and shortcomings that the prior leader didn’t have to deal with. That isn’t to say that it’s wrong to notice the prior leader’s deficiencies and try to improve upon them. But a healthy dose of humility and perspective is essential.

Moroni models that humility by acknowledging that some of the criticisms directed at him have merit and may even be inspired. But he makes an important distinction between detecting deficiencies and condemning people. We can all learn from one another’s mistakes, but we ought to do so with kindness, and we ought to be careful not to blow those imperfections out of proportion and completely miss one another’s strengths and meaningful accomplishments. Imperfect people sometimes do amazing things.

Furthermore, when we disagree with other people, it’s easy to assume the worst: to question their motives, their abilities, and even their character. Moroni instead assumes the best in his detractors and even helps them by visualizing how their critiques can lead to gratitude and wisdom.

So maybe the irony I saw in Moroni’s words would be better characterized as generosity. Moroni is not only willing to concede that his critics may be right but also to help them channel their critical energies toward constructive outcomes. He loves his readers and values their growth over his ego.

Today, I will follow Moroni’s example by responding to criticism with humility and generosity. I will acknowledge that criticisms directed at me may be valid, and I will strive to see my critics in the best possible light and to visualize positive outcomes from their feedback.