Samuel the Lamanite stands on the wall preaching truth to people who do not want to hear it. He is bold and direct — and completely unwelcome. Why? Because the people are prideful.
Pride rarely rejects truth politely; it rejects the messenger.
Samuel declares:
“Thus saith the Lord, blessed are they who will repent and turn unto me, but wo unto him that repenteth not.” (v.11)
The message is simple: repentance brings blessing, and refusal brings loss. The people just don’t believe it applies to them.
The Power of the Righteous — Samuel teaches that the great city of Zarahemla has not yet been destroyed because of the righteous who still live there. I hold tightly to that thought. In a world that often feels loud and drifting, faithful disciples may seem small — but righteousness preserves more than we can see. Quiet faithfulness matters to the Lord.
Hiding Up Treasures to the Lord
Verse 18 made me pause again, just as it did when I read it in September 2024: — “Whoso shall hide up treasures in the earth shall find them again no more… save he be a righteous man and shall hide it up unto the Lord.”
How do we hide treasures unto the Lord? Slow down and chew on this question. The answer is clear: family.
We hide treasures to the Lord when we keep sacred covenants and strive to bind our families to Him. Bringing our children and grandchildren back into Heavenly Father’s presence is the greatest treasure we could ever secure.
Many parents today feel heartache as loved ones choose the the attraction of the “great and spacious building,” drawn by voices that promise much but stand on no foundation. Still, eternal families remain the Lord’s treasure.
What We Treasure
In verse 21, Samuel warns those who do not set their hearts upon “them” will be cursed.
Who are them?
The scriptures and the words of prophets and apostles — ancient and modern.
We treasure them by remembering them, burying them deep in our hearts so they can be drawn upon at any moment to strengthen ourselves or bless another.
It makes me ask: Where are my treasures?
· My children.
· The words of prophets old and new.
When Pride Takes Root
When pride fills the heart, there is little room left for truth. Pride leads to boasting, envy, strife, and every manner of iniquity. These attitudes eventually bring spiritual loss.
We cast out prophets not only by rejecting them openly, but by quietly choosing not to listen. Prophets speak for the Lord. They see dangers we cannot yet see.
When Treasures Become Slippery
Verse 33 touched me deeply: “O that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave us our riches… then they would not have become slippery.”
The only true treasure I possess is my family. We began securing that treasure when we created an eternal family in the temple through sacred covenants with each other and with the Lord. Nothing can change those promises except my own disobedience.
My children still have their agency. They will choose their paths.
But they are still mine — eternally connected through covenant love and the promises of God.
And that is treasure worth hiding up unto the Lord.
In the end, the only treasures worth keeping are the ones we carry into eternity.
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