Growing up, I was asked to play the piano for everything. ⁣

Sight-reading has always been my strength, so I could play all the hymns or learn accompaniments super quickly. I was the one playing for seminary, every fireside, ward choir, musical numbers… you name it. ⁣

I was shocked one day to learn that someone started talking about how jealous they were that I could play everything so easily, and that it wasn’t fair that I was the only one asked to play the piano all the time. ⁣

I was honestly surprised at how much it hurt me to learn that someone else was jealous of me. ⁣

I wanted to explain all the hard work that went into practicing the piano for hours and hours each week. ⁣

I wanted to explain that I knew that sight-reading was also a gift that I had when it came to music (don’t ask me to improvise or compose anything!).⁣

I also wanted to explain that I was not volunteering for these opportunities, I was just saying “yes” when asked. ⁣

Basically, I did not like being envied. ⁣

And then I realized… I envied other people. ⁣

I envied other people for their natural beauty, their fashion, their humor, their wealth, their talents…⁣

I had this realization that each person I envied would probably also have some sort of explanation for why they were that way. ⁣

Envying does no good. ⁣

Envying leads to separation. ⁣

Separation from that person and separation from God for not feeling gratitude for what we have. ⁣

Joseph had a tough time with his brothers because “his brethren envied him” (Genesis 37:11). ⁣

It seems like Joseph had lots of explanations for why. ⁣

⁣He couldn’t help that he was the firstborn of his father’s favorite wife. He clearly had a natural talent for interpreting dreams. He obviously had a close relationship God, so he likely worked hard to develop his gifts. ⁣

And instead of embracing Joseph for his uniqueness, his brothers turned their feelings into envy, which boiled into hatred. ⁣

Who do you envy right now?⁣

Envy never leads to sweet fruits.

How can you cheer them on instead? ⁣

Because love is always better than envy.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post When someone envied me  first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

I knew quite a few wonderful people and great family friends who lived in those houses.

But as we drove past them…

My friend in my car started making rude statements about “all these rich people”.

She started sharing all her judgments.

I felt so weird about what she was saying…

Because it didn’t align with what I knew about the generous and loving people who lived there.

It wasn’t until years later that I started learning more about pride.

I had always thought pride was a sin when people think look “down” on others.

But I slowly realized that pride is shown whenever we try to separate ourselves from others.

“The great enemy of charity is pride…. Pride exaggerates its own strength and ignores the virtues of others.” – Elder Uchtdorf

This could mean thinking we are better than others for what we DO have… or what we DON’T have.

But it can also mean finding fault in others.

Withholding praise.

Being jealous.

Being disobedient.

Causing contention.

These are all sneaky ways that pride shows up in our lives.

We read, “For the day of the Lord of Hosts soon cometh. . . upon the proud and lofty, and upon every one who is lifted up, and he shall be brought low.” (2 Nephi 12:12)

The Lord expects us to get rid of the pride in our hearts.

But He can also help us in the process.

Jesus can help us see each other on the same level.

He can fill our hearts with love and compassion.

He can help us recognize that our current bank accounts, homes, jobs, callings, political views, or clothing have nothing to do with who we really are in the eternities.

And He can fill our hearts with a recognition of all the places we try to separate ourselves from others, where we’ve allowed our pride to seep into our being.

And most importantly, Jesus can help us work to eliminate our pride, one step at a time.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post THOSE rich people first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

Growing up, I was asked to play the piano for everything.

Sight-reading has always been my strength, so I could play all the hymns or learn accompaniments super quickly. I was the one playing for seminary, every fireside, ward choir, musical numbers… you name it.

I wasn’t asking for these opportunities.

But I’d always say yes and was willing to play for anything.

And so I was shocked one day to learn that someone started talking about how jealous they were that I could play everything so easily, and that it wasn’t fair that I was the only one asked to play the piano all the time.

I was honestly surprised at how much it hurt me to learn that someone else was jealous of me.

I wanted to explain all the hard work that went into practicing the piano for hours and hours each week.

I wanted to explain that I knew that sight-reading was also a gift that I had when it came to music (don’t ask me to improvise or compose anything!).

I also wanted to explain that I was not volunteering for these opportunities. Adults and other youth were probably just asking me because I had done it before, and they knew they wouldn’t have to ask me if I had the ability to play something or not.

Basically, I did not like being envied.

And then I realized… I envied other people.

I mean, I was a teen. I envied other people for their natural beauty, their fashion, their humor, their wealth, their talents…

I had this realization that each person I envied would probably also have some sort of explanation for why they were that way.

Envying does no good.

Envying leads to separation.

Separation from that person and separation from God for not feeling gratitude for what we have.

Joseph had a tough time with his brothers because “his brethren envied him” (Genesis 37:11).

It seems like Joseph had lots of explanations for why.

He couldn’t help that he was the firstborn of his father’s favorite wife. He clearly had a natural talent for interpreting dreams. He obviously had a close relationship God, so he likely worked hard to develop his gifts.

And instead of embracing Joseph for his uniqueness, his brothers turned their feelings into envy, which boiled into hatred.

Who do you envy right now?

How can you cheer them on instead?

Because love is always better than envy.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Envying and separation first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.

The righteous throughout all of the Book of Mormon (usually) do NOT fall into murder.

They don’t fall into lying and dishonesty.

They don’t go from righteous to burning believers.

They always start with one sin.

PRIDE.

Which then leads to

SEPARATION.

Their righteousness brings them so many blessings.

But instead of feeling gratitude to God for their blessings, they use it as an excuse to separate themselves.

They don’t want to associate with the “others”.

Because they feel they are just a little bit better than everyone else.

We call it the “pride cycle”, but I think that pride is that gateway sin that leads to a desire to be separated.

The opposite of unity and love.

It’s no wonder that the civilization in 4 Nephi was mentioned many times in this most recent General Conference.

The antidote to removing contention and separation is to remove pride.

Not pride in the “I’m proud to be who I am” sense.

But the evil pride that starts by keeping us from associating with “others”.

Not serving “those types of people”.

And then it grows into an active dislike.

And then hatred.

Pride leads to division and contention – which, according to the Book of Mormon, is the most likely sin for us to fall victim to if we consider ourselves “righteous”.

So today, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

How are you 1) noticing and 2) removing the pride that has crept into your life?

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black

The post Pride and separation first appeared on Come Follow Me Study with Cali Black.