Jeffrey R. Holland wrote in his book “For Times of Trouble:”
Perhaps the only serious risk I have seen in the world of academic accomplishment is the pride and vanity that can come with it, the arrogance of a few who say not to the hand or foot but to God Himself, ” I have no need of thee.”167 The vanity of a brilliant person is a tragedy indeed if in any way that gift takes the recipient of it away from the God who gave it in the first place. “To be learned is good if they hearken to the counsels of God” is almost the only caution one truly needs in the marvelous pursuit of knowledge.168 If one hears philosophical or scientific truth, did not “he that planted the ear” also hear—and indeed declare—those truths initially? If one sees the beauty of great art or literature, did not “he that formed the eye” also first see it and share it with the artist or writer? Can we not find in ourselves the humility to acknowledge that some ear might be greater than ours and some eye might be more perceptive than the one we possess? Could not a learned man or woman grant that He who has taught us everything and is the receptacle of all knowledge knows the things that we know and some other truths besides? Some of those additional truths include matters of faith and devotion that will save our souls in eternity.
Everyone needs to guard against vanity and arrogance, but especially bright, talented people need to be careful because, truth be told, they have the most to be vain and arrogant about. History would suggest that keeping up such a guard isn’t easy—our vanity is forever at odds with our humility and frequently triumphs in the battle.
The fact of the matter is, the more capable we are, the more humble we should be. God “is God: it is he that hath made us.” We should bow our head and bend our knee at His grandeur, at least in part because He has bestowed some part of it on us. ~ Jeffrey R. Holland, For Times of Trouble (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2012) 116
(Posts with a preamble asterisk * are for a more general audience, and not specific to teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.)
