If we want to look at how Christ loved and list all the ways he displayed charity throughout His mortal life and how He continues to exercise charity, we would fill up books without number (see John 21:25). So instead, I'll just quote one of my favorite songs that has several examples:
"His Hands" -by Kenneth Cope
His hands, tools of creation, stronger than nations, power without end, and yet through them we find our truest friend. His hands, sermons of kindness, healing men's blindness, halting years of pain, children waiting to be held again...His hands, lifting a leper, warming a beggar, calling back the dead, breaking bread, five thousand fed. His hands, hushing contention, pointing to heaven, ever free of sin, then bidding man to follow him.
His hands would serve his whole life through, showing man what hands might do, giving, ever giving, endlessly. Each day was filled with selflessness, and I'll not rest until i make of my hands what they could be, 'til these hands become like those from Galilee.
His hands, clasped in agony, as he he lay pleading, bleeding in the garden, while just moments away, other hands betray him, out of greed, shameful greed.
His hands, clasped in agony, as he he lay pleading, bleeding in the garden, while just moments away, other hands betray him, out of greed, shameful greed.
And then his hands, are trembling, straining to carry the beam that they've been nailed to, as he stumbles through the streets, heading for the hill on which he'd die, he would die.
They take his hands, his mighty hands, those gentle hands, and then they pierce them, they pierce them, he lets them, because of love.
From birth to death was selflessness, and clearly now i see him with his hands, calling to me. And though I'm not yet as i would be, He has shown me how I could be. I'll make my hands like those from Galilee.
They take his hands, his mighty hands, those gentle hands, and then they pierce them, they pierce them, he lets them, because of love.
From birth to death was selflessness, and clearly now i see him with his hands, calling to me. And though I'm not yet as i would be, He has shown me how I could be. I'll make my hands like those from Galilee.
To love as Christ did, we must love our neighbor as ourselves (see Leviticus 19:18). Now this isn't a conditional thing that we must practice only when our neighbors, or fellow human beings, are nice and kind to us. It means that we must always recognize and respect each and every person for who they truly are, children of God. Three specific examples come to my mind.
1.) Jesus Christ
Kind of obvious isn't it? Our Savior was the perfect example of charity and has always displayed it both before He came to earth, His life on earth, and he continues to show charity towards all mankind (see section above and/or A is for Atonement). The particular instance I'm thinking of though is when our Lord and Savior hung in agony on the cross, dying a most cruel death. In this moment of time, Christ begs with the Father to "forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). He exercises great charity to those who tortured him so, he loved them despite their cruelty.
2.) The People of Zarahemla
The scriptures are full of many wonderful examples of charity, both of individuals and groups. One of my favorites though is found in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, a book I have referenced to often, regarding a group of people who lived in a city called Zarahemla on the American continent in about the year 120 B.C. These wonderful people had just been told the history of the mercies that God had shown to a group of people led by a man named Alma and their escape from bondage from their enemies, a group of people called the Lamanites.
"And now, when Mosiah had made an end of reading the records, his people who tarried in the land were struck with wonder and amazement. For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those that had been delivered out of bondage they were filled with exceedingly great joy. And again, when they thought of their brethren who had been slain by the Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and even shed many tears of sorrow. And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the hands of the Lamanites and of bondage , they did raise their voices and give thanks to God. And again, when they thought upon the Lamanites, who were their brethren, of their sinful and polluted state, they were filled with pain and anguish for the welfare of their souls" (Mosiah 25:7-11)
Wow! Can you see now why I love the people of Zarahemla? They had such great charity that the cried tears of joy for their brethren, whom they had just met, and the protection and guidance that God gave to them. They also shed tears of sorrow for the wickedness of their enemies. They truly took to heart the words of the Savior to "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 5:44), and as such were filled with that love, or charity.
1.) Jesus Christ
2.) The People of Zarahemla
The scriptures are full of many wonderful examples of charity, both of individuals and groups. One of my favorites though is found in the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ, a book I have referenced to often, regarding a group of people who lived in a city called Zarahemla on the American continent in about the year 120 B.C. These wonderful people had just been told the history of the mercies that God had shown to a group of people led by a man named Alma and their escape from bondage from their enemies, a group of people called the Lamanites.
"And now, when Mosiah had made an end of reading the records, his people who tarried in the land were struck with wonder and amazement. For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those that had been delivered out of bondage they were filled with exceedingly great joy. And again, when they thought of their brethren who had been slain by the Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and even shed many tears of sorrow. And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the hands of the Lamanites and of bondage , they did raise their voices and give thanks to God. And again, when they thought upon the Lamanites, who were their brethren, of their sinful and polluted state, they were filled with pain and anguish for the welfare of their souls" (Mosiah 25:7-11)
Wow! Can you see now why I love the people of Zarahemla? They had such great charity that the cried tears of joy for their brethren, whom they had just met, and the protection and guidance that God gave to them. They also shed tears of sorrow for the wickedness of their enemies. They truly took to heart the words of the Savior to "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 5:44), and as such were filled with that love, or charity.
3.) Pacha
I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with the movie The Emperor's New Groove, but it's another movie that I love. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, let me give a little background. For those of you who are familiar with the movie, bear with me , there is a point that I'm making by bringing it up. Pacha shows great charity throughout this whole movie. He is summoned to the palace to see Emperor Cuzco. The Emperor, in a not so cordial way, told Pacha that he was going to destroy his village to build a summer house for himself. Pacha departs, disheartened and made the long trek home. In an interesting series of events, Pacha finds at his disposal the very man who vowed to make him homeless (in the form of a llama).
This example shows us that charity, isn't something that always comes naturally to all of us, but it is something that we must gain.
So how does one acquire charity?
In order to obtain this gift from God, we must "pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that [we] may be filled with this love" (Moroni 7:48). It goes with the concept, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Luke 11:9-10). Our Heavenly Father will give us that which we ask of Him because we are His children and He loves us dearly.
That doesn't mean however that we can just pray for charity and be mean to everyone. Charity leads to action, so we must be willing to do something. Be willing to give it our best effort and let God make up the difference. Effort is required but the rewards are endless.
Nice information, but why do we need it?
Well first off, "...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— 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" (Moroni 7:46-47). Furthermore, "And though [we] have the gift of prophecy , and understand all mysteries , and all knowledge; and though [we] have all faith, so that [we] could remove mountains, and have not charity, [we are] nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:2). Without it, we are nothing and we cannot progress. Charity is not always easy, but it helps us to closer follow our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. In fact we are promised, "[we] may become the sons [and daughters] 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" (Moroni 7:48). Who doesn't want to become purified and receive God's image in our countenances? (see Alma 5:14).
Follow that perfect example of that being who endlessly shows charity to his children and learn to more personally "love thy neighbour as thyself" (Leviticus 19:18).
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