Charity, in the scriptural sense, has an esoteric quality. It seems to be floating somewhere out there above and beyond the pale of daily life.. We can get in the trenches with faith or hope and the more temporal based commandments (thou shalt not steal), but charity seems nebulous and is slightly discomforting to us. The word itself seems to demand something from us that is not congruent with how the structure of our temporal world begs us to operate. Christ's teachings that fall into this realm cause us to pause - turn the other cheek, pray for your enemies, give your cloak as well as your coat, go the second mile, give away all you have and follow Jesus. Indeed, charity is not eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth and it is not me and mine..
Yet we are told by Paul and Mormon that without charity we are nothing. Charity is the crowning virtue and required for eternal life. The scriptures tell us that charity is beyond normal love and beyond our normal abilities to acquire. Mormon charges us with the task of praying for charity with all energy of heart which indicates that charity is not just going to fall upon us unbidden. Charity is a gift from the divine. It is truly a heavenly, celestial virtue that must be sought after in opposition to this fallen, telestial state we live in.
There are many, many gut-wrenching needs in this world and "Charity," is the only true source of healing.
This past week I read the chapter in Larry Barkdull's book, No Poor Among Them on charity. I would like to share a few of his concepts and encourage a reading of the rest.
"The quality of love that motivates us to sacrifice to lift and save others is called charity"
"Charity refers more to what we do than what we feel."
"Charity forgives from enormous distance."
"Charity "is ... a condition or state of being."
"When Zion people give and receive charity they cease to be afraid: 'Perfect love casteth out all fear.'"
"Charity saves the lives of both the giver and the receiver."
"Charity is closely aligned with patience. Patience means:
"I will wait for you."
"I will wait with you."
"I will wait upon you."
"In patience we refrain from giving offense. In patience we forgive multiple times. In patience we show kindness when kindness is not returned. In patience we offer brotherly love over an extended period. Clearly, in patience we wait for, with and upon the Lord and his children."
"...we might point to charity as the preeminent virtue that transforms priesthood authority into priesthood power."
"Charity draws the Lord near....Conversely, when we fail to exhibit charity, we sense distance between the Lord and ourselves. "
"A fast that does not include extending charity to someone yields no more blessings than shedding a few extra pounds."
"On the other hand, a true fast that includes charitable service carries these promises:
- loose the bands of wickedness
- undo the heavy burdens
- let the oppressed go free
- break every yoke."
"Uncompensated service is one answer, one good answer to overcome loneliness."
"Sometimes charity is a handout but it is always a hand up."
"The promise of charitable service is that of an abundant return. President Marion G. Romney taught the following truth: 'You cannot give yourself poor in this work; you can only give yourself rich.'"
"Most certainly, charity is love in action, and that action always involves sacrifice."
"It is an immutable law that the more you give away the more you receive."
"Extending charitable service to the needy is a fixed requirement for all gospel laws. ...Neither fasting nor prayer nor substantially any other law of God becomes valid or a principle of power without charity. ... Clearly, without charity, we are nothing."
(All above quotes from Larry Barkdull, No Poor Among Them.)
46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—
47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, 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 may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.
(Book of Mormon | Moroni 7:46 - 48)
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