I think it's all about the charity study for me this week.

"The best and most clear indicator that we are progressing spiritually and coming to Christ is how we treat other people." Elder Marvin J. Ashton Ensign May 1992, 18

One of the common themes Jesus taught was how to treat others better or more godlike.

In Matthew 5: 22 He says

“But I say unto you whosever is angry with his brother* shall be in danger of the judgment." *JST translation says to omit the words ‘without a cause’ because for pete sake, that’s what we have been talking about. Not getting angry with people, or forgiving now or immediately when someone has harmed/hurt/injured us. And if anyone had more reason to be angry with another it was the Savior as he was hung on the cross when he had done NOTHING wrong! But he said “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” I don’t think anything anyone else has done to us can compare with that, and such is his perfect example.

In the Sermon on the Mount we’re told in Matthew
5:7, “Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy."
5:9: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
5:10 “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
5:14-16 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

The better we get at loving and serving those around us, the better servant we are to God.

Mosiah 2:17 “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” I think this applies to how we think of others as well.

Now think of that scripture upside down "When ye are exploiting or sinning against your fellow beings, you are only sinning against God” (Old Testament LDS Student Manual section 8)

Fascinating...

C.S. Lewis is rocking awesome. I love how clear he makes Christianity understood for me, and he has such practical applications for life.

He said

"When I come to my evening prayers and try to reckon up the sins of the day, nine times out of ten the most obvious one is some sin against charity; I have sulked or snapped or sneered or snubbed or stormed. And the excuse that immediately springs to my mind is that the provocation was so sudden and unexpected; I was caught off my guard, I had not time to collect myself. Now that may be an extenuating circumstance as regards those particular acts: they would obviously be worse if they had been deliberate and premeditated. On the other hand, surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of a man he is? Surely what pops out before the man has time to put on a disguise is the truth? If there are rats in a cellar you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But the suddenness does not create the rats: it only prevents them from hiding. In the same way the suddenness of the provocation does not make me an ill-tempered man; it only shows me what an ill-tempered man I am. The rats are always there in the cellar, but if you go in shouting and noisily they will have taken cover before you switch on the light.
~C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, (1952)

I still have so many rats to take care of...

Charity part 2

The first time I really experienced how powerful charity could be was up at BYU-Idaho during a devotional. Elder Henry B. Eyring (an apostle in our church) was speaking. I luckily got into the auditorium he was speaking in and was just sitting and pondering in the packed room for about ten minutes before he spoke. I also remember praying in my heart for him and the words he was going to share with us. He was introduced and as he started speaking I felt this overpowering feeling of love enter my heart. I felt that he really cared about me, although he had never met me before. Then I had the prompting that this was part of the power of charity. You could truly love and care about those you had never met.

The second time I felt this type of charity was also during another devotional, and the speaker was Susan W. Tanner, the current General Young Women's president of the church. And again as she started speaking I got the feeling that she truly cared about me personally, and everyone else in the room. It was an incredible feeling, and very motivating to listen to a speaker you feel actually cares about you.

I didn't realize charity could extend to people you have yet to meet. I knew it could be extended to people you immediately meet, and people you had previously seen and/or met, but here were two people that I know loved me, and I don't know if they had ever even seen me.

And then the awe of that kind of power hit me. And I realized why Moroni said to "pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love". This wasn't about love you could earn or just have on your own. This was love that extended mortal bounds. It was truly god-like, something we literally can't create on our own.

Have you ever had any experiences with charity before?

Charity part 1

I think forgiveness and charity go together. Of course charity and hope and faith are all connected like that three legged chair where you need all three or you can’t have any of them. But forgiveness and charity are also pretty connected for me. Which is one reason why I think Joseph responded so well to his circumstances, he had the gift of charity in his life. This can definitely help with forgiveness.

What are the words that go through your head when I say the word charity? A few that just pop through my mouth are pure love of Christ, not just doing alms, or good deeds, love,(obviously), Paul and 1 corinthians 13, and it’s more important than ANYTHING else.

O.k. so that’s my list, what about yours?

I remember back in high school my seminary teacher (a religion teacher for teenagers) challenged us to go home and study in the scriptures one principle or topic we didn’t feel we grasped very well. And on our way out the door he had us tell him what that topic was. I chose charity. All I knew was it was pretty important to have, but I didn’t know really what it was.

So I studied.

Go with me to 1 corinthians 13

4. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7. Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8. Charity never faileth…

That’s quite the list on its own, but then in Moroni 7:45-48, he repeats that list, tells us a little more about faith and hope and how they connect to that, and again repeats that charity is the most important.

However Paul also told us you can’t get charity by giving money to the poor, or moving mountains, or having the gift of prophecy and understanding all the mysteries of the universe. It’s not just thinking about others in a particularly loving way or reacting well to situations when people harm or hurt you.

We are told in Moroni 7:48 to “pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we have have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen”

We are told here charity is a gift. A gift given from God to love like the Savior. That’s why it’s called Christ-like love. But we have to ask and pray for it- with ALL the energy of our hearts. That’s a lot of energy, and that’s some amazing love to love like Christ.

What does that mean to you to love like that Savior?

I know as a high school student that was pretty overwhelming for me to read about. I can only get this charity stuff if I pray and ask God, and he might not give it to me, but it’s one of the most important things to have!?!!?

Well at least I knew more of the basics now, charity was love. A love I couldn’t get with only my little ole mortal self. God probably wanted me to have this gift, and there are a whole bunch of traits I can strive for to try to show him I’m working hard on becoming a more loving person in general. And I can pray a lot more for these gifts.

CHARITY TRAITS:

Suffereth long

Is kind

Envieth not

Seeketh not her own

Doth not behave herself unseemly (Footnote 1 cor 13:5a Greek translation: indecently, unbecomingly.)

Is not easily provoked (footnote to 1 cor 13:5c says self mastery)

Thinketh no evil

Rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth

Beareth all things

Believeth all things

Edureth all things

Tomorrow, my first real life charity encounter...