Charity - Sunday's 9-7-08 Relief Society's Lesson

Sunday's lesson began by each of us reading different scriptures. We read them as the teacher highlighted the major points by writing them on the chalkboard. We were to figure out the topic. It didn't take us long to guess Charity.

For example: my scriptures were

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Matthew 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.;

Matthew 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.;

I Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.;

II Peter 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.;

D&C 88:125 And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.;

and

D&C 121:45 Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.

Yes, I agree with all of the above scriptures and the others that were handed out. We should have charity for all our family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, and even enemies.

However, the following statement was said and I don't agree with it... "Charity is not an action word like so many people think but a feeling." This statement I can't agree with. I believe it is like the word Faith. Faith has two parts. The Bible states in James 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? Not only do you have to have faith but you have to have the works behind it to back it up. I believe the same can be said about charity.

During the lesson it was said that nice things can be done for others but without the heart in the right place it is not actually charity. The example used was about a man that donated big bucks to build a hospital but with the stipulation the hospital be named after the man. I agree with this. That's not charity but an investment. However, couldn't one have feelings of charity but not act on them? I can care about my neighbor, maybe even see that they need help with something, but what if I don't act on my feelings for that neighbor? For example if my neighbor was an elderly widowed woman that I loved and cared about, I saw that her lawn needed mowing but did not act. I care for her, I pray for her, I love her but if I do not have the action behind my feelings, I can not say it's charity. Just like in James 2:14 will it profit? I would have to say, "NO."

Charity begins with a feeling but without the action it is not true charity. The feeling must have action and the action must be supported by the feeling. One without the other does not constitute charity.

Charity is the greatest love... Charity is unconditional love...

My favority Chapter in the scriptures is...

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAUL THE APOSTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS

CHAPTER 13
Paul extols the high status of charity—Charity, a pure love, excels and exceeds almost all else.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,

and have not charity,

I am become as sounding brass,

or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophesy,

and understand all mysteries,

and all knowledge;

and though I have all faith,

so that I could remove mountains,

and have not charity,

I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,

and though I give my body to be burned,

and have not charity,

it profiteth me nothing.

Charity suffereth long,

and is kind;

charity envieth not;

charity vaunteth not itself,

is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly,

seeketh not her own,

is not easily provoked,

thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in iniquity,

but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things,

believeth all things,

hopeth all things,

endureth all things.

Charity never faileth:

but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;

whether there be tongues, they shall cease;

whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

For we know in part,

and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect is come,

then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child,

I spake as a child,

I understood as a child,

I thought as a child:

but when I became a man,

I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass, darkly;

but then face to face:

now I know in part;

but then shall I know even as also I am known.

And now abideth faith, hope, charity,

these three;

but the greatest of these is charity.

Charity beareth all things and endureth all things. In my book that is ACTION.