Charity

What is Love or Charity?

Anyone that knows me well, knows that ice cream is my favorite dessert; and very well could be my favorite food.

I’ve said many times how much I love ice cream!

But in reality I don’t love ice cream, but really, really, really, really (ok you get the message) like it a lot.

Personally I think the word love should really be saved for how we feel about another person.

There are different types of love. In fact I have found listed 8 types of love:

• Philia — Affectionate Love. Philia is love without romantic attraction and occurs between friends or family members. …
• Pragma — Enduring Love. …
• Storge — Familiar Love. …
• Eros — Romantic Love. …
• Ludus — Playful Love. …
• Mania — Obsessive Love. …
• Philautia — Self Love. …
• Agape — Selfless Love.

What type of love we have for someone will depend on our relationship with them.  But I think we can all agree that any kind of positive love is needed more in the world today. 

We find ourselves surrounded by hate and anger centered in politics, religion, race, and social matters. We have forgotten that we should be able to disagree respectively and that disagreeing with ones position doesn’t mean we have to hate them.

Jesus Christ was asked what the greatest commandment was and he answered:

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

Matthew 22:36–39 (holy bible)

I’ve thought many times how different the world would be if we all remembered these great directives.

In fact the highest form or expression of love we can have is Charity.

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.

Mormon 7:47 (book of mormon)

Now this can be interpreted as loving purely like Christ loves, or in loving Christ purely. Either way, practicing charity can transform our lives into something more.

Loving or showing charity to others starts with the small daily activities where we can help another person feel better about themselves.

Love is expressed in many recognizable ways: a smile, a wave, a kind comment, a compliment. Other expressions may be more subtle, such as showing interest in another’s activities, teaching a principle with kindness and patience, visiting one who is ill or homebound. These words and actions and many others can communicate love.

thomas s. monson, april 2014

Let us all love a little more.

One by one; one act of kindness after another, and just maybe we can turn the world from hate and anger to forgiveness, support, and love.

Who is someone you can show some kindness, charity or love to today?