Doing Justice to Myself

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act I, Scene 3

Many kings appear in the book of Ether: righteous ones who preside over periods of peace and prosperity, and wicked ones with a degrading and destabilizing influence. But one king was unusual. Morianton claimed power by military force and then won the hearts of his people by making their lives easier. Moroni summarizes Morianton’s reign in this way:

He did do justice unto the people, but not unto himself because of his many whoredoms; wherefore he was cut off from the presence of the Lord.

Ether 10:11

What does it mean to not do justice to yourself?

In Morianton’s case, the answer is simple: He participated in what he thought were “victimless crimes.” Many people believe that sexual immorality is harmless, but as the proverb warns:

Whoso committeth adultery … lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

Proverbs 6:32

As I’ve thought about Morianton’s situation this week, it’s occurred to me that there are many ways to do justice to others but not to yourself. For example:

• Neglecting your own physical, mental, or spiritual health as you care for someone else’s needs.
• Fulfilling a responsibility in a way that earns praise from others but which you know is not your best effort.
• Forgiving other people but obsessing over your own failures and weaknesses. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught, “When the Lord requires that we forgive all men, that includes forgiving ourselves” (“The Merciful Obtain Mercy,” General Conference, April 2012).
• Volunteering or accepting invitations to do things that you can’t reasonably do.

Today, I will do justice to others and to myself. I will serve others and invest in my own health and growth. I will find satisfaction in doing my very best work, not merely in receiving praise. I will be merciful to myself, even as I extend mercy to others.