Last Sunday I went visiting teaching and I haven't been able to stop thinking about the message since. It was on my mind again this morning as I worked on a pie for Sunday dinner. The message was about charity. I've always known that charity is defined as the pure love of Christ, or the love that we should have for each other, but how can I know if it is an attribute I possess? It seemed so hard to quantify. But this quote from the visiting teaching lesson from President Thomas S. Monson was like an awakening for me:
He said, "Charity is having patience with somebody who has let us down. It is resisting the impulse to become offended easily. It is accepting weaknesses and shortcomings. It is accepting people as they truly are. It is looking beyond physical appearances to attributes that will not dim through time. It is resisting the impulse to categorize others."
Ah! Yes, these are things I can work on. These are concrete actions I can take to become more charitable. On this first day of November and the first day of my month of gratitude, I am thankful for inspiration, specifically for direction that comes from a living prophet as I try to become more like Jesus Christ.
Another gem from President Monson and a push to participate in a month of gratitude, he said, "My brothers and sisters, do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we receive? Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God's love." That has been true in my life, and I know it can be true in yours, too.
Happy Sunday!
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ReplyDeleteI loved that quote too. So often we think of charity as being service, but President Monson's quote was a good reminder for me that charity encompasses so much more.
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