Charity

I was asked to substitute in Relief Society today and give the lesson on Charity. As usual the more you study about a topic, the more you learn and the more you realize that you need to learn. A key part to this lesson was the parable that Christ told of the Good Samaritan. Of course we would all hope to be like the Samaritan who helped the man who was beaten and robbed by the side of the road. But then you have to ask yourself....Would I really?

I found a quote from Elder Marvin J. Ashton that I love about Charity.

"Charity is, perhaps, in many ways a misunderstood word. We often equate charity with visiting the sick, taking in casseroles to those in need, or sharing our excess with those who are less fortunate. But really, true charity is much, much more.

Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again. It makes the thought of being a basher repulsive.

Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don't judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quite. Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn't handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another's weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other."

There are four things that would help us to become truly charitable.
First, study the life of the Savior and learn what he did in different situations and follow his example.
Second, pray to have greater charity.
Third, learn to love ourselves, which means that we understand our true worth as children of our Heavenly Father.
Fourth, we can avoid thinking we are better than other people.