The Meaning of Charity

Welcome!
Over the last week and a half, I've been pondering the idea of love, specifically in the context of charity, or the "pure love of Christ." I wrote an entry in my journal that I wanted to share--analyzing my feelings in the moment gave me the best results of expression.

I started with the basic definition of charity under Gospel Topics, and I got the Seminary answer: “Charity is the pure love of Christ.” Then the article elaborated and said that we have been commanded to have this love toward each other as people—that Christ loves us as humans in that way—and that it is the “highest, noblest, and strongest kind of love” that we can experience.

That same Gospel Topics section quoted Mormon’s letter to Moroni, describing the “fruits” of charity: long-suffering, kindness, lack of envy, lack of pride, seeking not one’s own, being uneasily provoked, thinking no evil, and rejoicing in truth rather than iniquity. Interesting that all of the traits we associate with the Savior spring from charity.

I want to look at why these traits emerge from charity. Long-suffering: He loves people so much that He understands the need to be patient, helping them to grow and feel loved. Kindness: why would He be angry and unkind if He loved someone? Lack of envy: Loving others restrains envious feelings, as He would rejoice in the successes of others or praise them for their capacities. Lack of pride: pride is enmity, the exact opposite of love. Seeking not His own: loving others would drive Him to look outside of Himself and seek to heal those who were willing to be healed. Being uneasily provoked: usually when we are provoked, it is by little things that don’t matter … things that ruin our relationships. By refusing to be easily provoked, He shows that the person matters more than His whims. Thinking no evil: evil, as defined by [psychology professor] Jordan Peterson, is the ability and decision to hurt other people. Charity, then, is the opposite of evil, while pride is its drive. Rejoicing in the truth: the truth has the capacity to heal and assist in growth while iniquity is a drug. If He truly loved someone, He would help them to find the truth, even if the truth hurt for a moment. “Discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”

Before undergoing this analysis of charity, I didn't really understand it. I felt that charity was an undefinable, nebulous concept: in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we always define charity the same way, the way I mentioned in my entry ... because defining it in depth is such an immense undertaking. I feel like this entry was a minimal way of defining charity.
Charity truly is the lifestyle of Christ. Charity is the fundamental life pattern of seeking out only the best, of thinking about the benefit of others in conjunction with your own. I say in conjunction based on a quote from Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: "Forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice." The idea of charity is not to destroy your body and soul trying to lift as many people as possible: it is overcoming your innate desires and wants for real love, real love for yourself in equality with real love for others. Often we refer to charity as putting others first because that is the lesson most people need to learn, but part of charity is providing yourself with the spiritual, physical, and emotional health to assist other people in their journey. It's just that loving others is often the part we struggle with, and so it is emphasized.
What opportunities can you take over the next few days to strengthen your charity? I can't tell you, but someone can. Find prayer again, find God and ask Him how you can better love the people around you and have the strength to lift others.