On Charity. And lunchtime.

A brief thought on Charity. Definition of Charity: The Pure Love of Christ. Definition of “The Pure Love of Christ?” I think we overlook the crucial nature of this definition. In order to understand charity, you have to understand what “the pure love of christ” is. Christ, as our redeemer, intimately understands and experienced our pains and suffering. He literally experienced that which we have suffered (both due to sin and other afflictions like physical or emotional injury) and, consequently, understands us perfectly. In addition, he has an infinite capacity for perception. Omniscience. He knows who we’ve been, who we are, and who we can become (understanding that man can make decisions that determine his future and that God is a respecter of agency in a very powerful and justified way). He sees our divine potential and, on different threads of time, can even see our children, future works, influences upon limitless generations, and our infinite capacity (despite being finite beings) as can be beheld over eternity. This divine perception he has of us coupled with the complete depth of his understanding of our existence (even an infinite understanding, for he can comprehend the truth behind our states on every level, from the physical failures we may have to the spiritual injuries we’ve sustained, most of which we aren’t even aware of) directly yields charity, the pure love of Christ. Love is derived by experience, knowledge, and companionship. As Christ has tread our path alone, individually, and completely, and as he can perceive our personal eternity, so can he have infinite, pure love for us. This is Charity.

We are commanded to have Charity. It is necessary for our salvation. But how can we achieve such an infinitely comprehensive state of Love for those around us? I believe this comes as a gift of the spirit, a blend of discernment, humility, and gratitude. When we see someone we’ve never even met, when we are blessed with the gift of Charity we mentally stop for a moment and realize that this person is a Child of the most powerful, most intelligent, and most wonderful being in the universe, God himself. Despite the flaws or failings that may be apparent in character or physical forms, we yet appreciate the wonder of this creation, this miracle of humanity that stands before us. We realize they have a complex and intricate story, woven by agency and divine influence and destiny. We realize that this destiny, if fulfilled, can lead to the exaltation of this creature before us. Indeed, as CS Lewis wrote,

It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship.

This respect of individual human dignity, appreciation for divine potential, and brief but intensely meaningful realization of the infinite worth of another’s existence is Charity. When we see a brother who is struggling temporally and experience this brief moment, it becomes an honor to serve him in whatever capacity we may. When we see a sister struggling in the depths of heartache, compassion is intuitively extended from the charitable person to this “[goddess] in the chrysalis.” Ultimately, any act of kindness or compassion falls in order when the proper perception of the reality of our existence is achieved.

It is important to note that Charity is not equatable with self-deprecation. It could be perverted as such very easily, in that one may create an artificial charity through self-deprecation in order to create a false contrast to identify others as greater beings than oneself. But, this is false in entirety. The relationship of charity between beings exists in a mutual sense, for we are all children of God. It is not through deprecation but through realization that we understand the divinity of those around us and ourselves. The Master himself taught that “he who is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matt 23:11). Mosiah 2:17 informs us that “when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” Would it not be sensible to consider that if, when we serve others, we serve Him, then we ought to always have respect and honor for those around us, a sense of charity?

I firmly believe that charity is a key component to our individual salvation and to the maintenance of any unit of society, and I propose that if each of us were to step back to gain our bearings, to realize who we are, who others are, and how that relationship between us as children of God as well as the relationship between God and his children, that we would find more love, harmony, and a remarkable degree of self-satisfaction and support in our own lives from our fellows and our Savior. Go read Moroni 7 and consider what he has to say on Charity, for it is perhaps the most comprehensive discussion of charity in the standard works. We must understand charity in our own lives as it is a critical component to becoming a Christian, which is really what everything is all about.

Regarding lunchtime: I’m about to go eat a spinach-ceasar wrap. Maybe…unless Nate has a better idea for lunch.