Charity

Charity, as a concept, used to be difficult for me to understand. We learn in 2 Nephi that charity is a commandment, that it is "love." We learn in Moroni that if men do not have charity they are nothing. And in Alma, we are admonished to have "faith, hope, and charity," yet out of these three charity is the greatest. I always believed that charity was bringing somebody dinner when they were sick or giving to the poor, etc. And while service is charity, I felt like I was simply going through the motions of doing things for people withought feeling a lot of love for them. I felt compassion for them, and I felt like I was making them happy in a way, but I just didn't feel an outpouring of love. I think this was simply because it's never been a difficult thing for me to bring somebody dinner, give someone a ride to the doctor, pay my tithing, etc. I'm home most of the day with my kids, it's easy for me to throw them in the car, and I'm always up for cooking something. I just didn't feel like I was sacrificing much. A year ago, I stumbled upon a quote by Marvin J. Ashton, who was quoting C.S. Lewis. The insight from both of these people completely reshaped the way I thought about the concept of charity. Because of their words, I came to a realization that having charity, or feeling charity, can be extremely hard for me.

"'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 (C.S. Lewis).' 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 quiet. Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let you down; resisting the impulse to become offended. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another's weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is accepting the best of each other."
-Marvin J. Ashton