Trying to Avoid being a Pharisee

This week in our "Christ and the Everlasting Gospel" class, we were learning about the Pharisees -- the learned, upper class of Jewish society. About halfway through the class it struck me that many of the things for which the Savior condemned the Pharisees applied to me as well! So I focused my study this week on the weakness and tendencies that were common to the Pharisees and how to overcome them. I learned that many of their follies had to do with pride and not repenting. The solution surprised me, and is simple: receive the prophets that the Lord sends.

Among the Pharisees' weaknesses were doing "holy" things so that other people would see them and hypocrisy -- holding others to a high standard but failing in their own duties. They would wear large pieces of religious symbolism on their bodies and make their religious clothing extra fancy so people would notice more their "righteousness." How often do I do the same? I read my scriptures on campus, and sometimes catch myself hoping that someone I know sees me. Or sometimes when I give a lesson, I relish the compliments afterwards more than I reflect with gratitude on the inspiration that Heavenly Father gave me in preparing the lesson.

So what is the remedy? After Christ condemns the Pharisees all throughout Matthew 23, he concludes by teaching them the principle of how to stop being Pharisees. He queries, "how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" and then answers his own question: "Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men... I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."

I'm not sure yet why it is that receiving the prophets will prevent sins, from hypocrisy to vanity, But I am going to try it out. This coming weekend is general conference and I am going to do my best to receive the prophets. I will prepare by coming up with questions and reviewing the talks of last conference. I hope that by doing so Heavenly Father will help me overcome my Pharisee-like sins that take place in my heart.