“And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that are still publishing peace! And again, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those who shall hereafter publish peace, yea, from this time henceforth and forever! And behold, I say unto you, this is not all. For O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that is the founder of peace, yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people; yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people.”1
When I think of the word ‘peace’ and what it means, generally the first thing that comes to my mind is a dark, quiet room where I can sleep; though, that is probably due to my night owl status this past year. The thought that comes next is comprised of the words ‘love’ and ‘charity’. How often have you heard the phrase “charity is the pure love of Christ?”2 Probably a lot. How often have you really thought about it? I’m going to hazard a guess and say probably not as much. So, let’s think about it (or rather, I’ll think about it and tell you what I think).
First off, what is ‘charity’? One definition of it is “love; universal benevolence; good will.”3 The Bible Dictionary tells us that charity is “the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love.”4 Those sound pretty much the same, so let’s agree that charity is noble love. Now, if charity is noble love and charity is the pure love of Christ, noble love is therefore the pure love of Christ. Let’s take this one step further and define noble love. My favorite description of noble love is found in Mosiah:
“[Ye] are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life.”5
This kind of love is the love that Christ gives us. These are also promises we makes at the time of our baptism. This love is the love of Christ, the love we strive to emulate all our lives.
Ok, now that we know all of that, what’s the big deal? Why did I include all that in an essay that is supposed to be about peace? Well, I’ll tell you. Charity is the pure love of Christ, and the pure love of Christ is anything but self-centered. People who are self-centered are often never happy. Take, for example, Veruca Salt from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This little girl is spoilt by her parents and she doesn’t know how to take ‘no’ for an answer. It is this attitude that eventually gets her sent down the garbage chute, with the rest of the bad eggs or nuts (depending on the version you are watching). On the opposite end of the spectrum is someone whose life is centered on service and loving others, despite the flaws of others. These people, more often than not, are happy with who they are and where they are in their life. To me, this is the definition of peace. Now, I’m going to add onto the saying a little bit: “charity is the pure love of Christ, and the pure love of Christ brings peace to our hearts.”
When I serve other people, no matter what that service is, it brings peace and comfort to me. The other day I was talking to a friend back home that is still in high school. Last year, she made a tough decision and decided to have an abortion, rather than have the baby and give it up for adoption. As luck would have it, some people found out about it and began spreading all sorts of rumors about her shortly thereafter. When she finally thought that that part of her life was over, the rumors started popping up at school again this past week. I’ve been going through my own personal and family issues lately, and as I listened to her talk about her frustration and sadness over her “one big huge mistake,” I realized that by letting her share her burden with me, my own burden got lighter. I love to listen to people when they need someone to talk to. Making other people smile or even just letting them know that they aren’t alone brings great peace to my heart. When some of the people I have listened to, sat by, hugged, etc. come back and tell me that their trial has ended up benefitting them, I am reminded of the scripture that says “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”6 Whether or not I’m the escape they needed at the time, or if I am struggling with my own trial, this scripture gives me comfort because I know that my Heavenly Father loves me enough to give me trials to prove myself. So, even though it’s hard at the time, trials ultimately bring peace in the end. The peace may come through a change of heart, a closer bond to family and friends, and sometimes they bring peace later only because we know they’re over.
Let me repeat again what I said earlier: “the pure love of Christ brings peace to our hearts.” I titled this essay “Publish Peace in thy Own Heart” because I believe that serving others, especially by following the words in Mosiah, we emulate the love of Christ and bring, or publish, peace in our own hearts. I want to testify to anyone and everyone that may stumble across this essay, for whatever reason, that I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three separate beings with one purpose. I know that My Redeemer lives. I testify that Christ-like love will bring you peace. It will ease your own burdens. I want to testify of the necessity of our families. I was asked recently what family means to me, and to me, “Family is the perfection of imperfection. We love each other because we are imperfect.” We need our families because we need people that will always be there to help us better ourselves. Sometimes it is really hard, but it is always worth it to let them in. I testify that if you put your trust in God, do your best and help others all you can, that your burdens shall be made light. Of all this I testify and pray that we might remember that service brings happiness, in the name of Jesus the Christ, amen.
Sources
1 Mosiah 15: 16-18
2 Moroni 7:47
3 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/charity
4 Bible Dictionary- Charity (pg. 632)
5 Mosiah 18: 8-9
6 1st Corinthians 10:13
When I think of the word ‘peace’ and what it means, generally the first thing that comes to my mind is a dark, quiet room where I can sleep; though, that is probably due to my night owl status this past year. The thought that comes next is comprised of the words ‘love’ and ‘charity’. How often have you heard the phrase “charity is the pure love of Christ?”2 Probably a lot. How often have you really thought about it? I’m going to hazard a guess and say probably not as much. So, let’s think about it (or rather, I’ll think about it and tell you what I think).
First off, what is ‘charity’? One definition of it is “love; universal benevolence; good will.”3 The Bible Dictionary tells us that charity is “the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love.”4 Those sound pretty much the same, so let’s agree that charity is noble love. Now, if charity is noble love and charity is the pure love of Christ, noble love is therefore the pure love of Christ. Let’s take this one step further and define noble love. My favorite description of noble love is found in Mosiah:
“[Ye] are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life.”5
This kind of love is the love that Christ gives us. These are also promises we makes at the time of our baptism. This love is the love of Christ, the love we strive to emulate all our lives.
Ok, now that we know all of that, what’s the big deal? Why did I include all that in an essay that is supposed to be about peace? Well, I’ll tell you. Charity is the pure love of Christ, and the pure love of Christ is anything but self-centered. People who are self-centered are often never happy. Take, for example, Veruca Salt from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This little girl is spoilt by her parents and she doesn’t know how to take ‘no’ for an answer. It is this attitude that eventually gets her sent down the garbage chute, with the rest of the bad eggs or nuts (depending on the version you are watching). On the opposite end of the spectrum is someone whose life is centered on service and loving others, despite the flaws of others. These people, more often than not, are happy with who they are and where they are in their life. To me, this is the definition of peace. Now, I’m going to add onto the saying a little bit: “charity is the pure love of Christ, and the pure love of Christ brings peace to our hearts.”
When I serve other people, no matter what that service is, it brings peace and comfort to me. The other day I was talking to a friend back home that is still in high school. Last year, she made a tough decision and decided to have an abortion, rather than have the baby and give it up for adoption. As luck would have it, some people found out about it and began spreading all sorts of rumors about her shortly thereafter. When she finally thought that that part of her life was over, the rumors started popping up at school again this past week. I’ve been going through my own personal and family issues lately, and as I listened to her talk about her frustration and sadness over her “one big huge mistake,” I realized that by letting her share her burden with me, my own burden got lighter. I love to listen to people when they need someone to talk to. Making other people smile or even just letting them know that they aren’t alone brings great peace to my heart. When some of the people I have listened to, sat by, hugged, etc. come back and tell me that their trial has ended up benefitting them, I am reminded of the scripture that says “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”6 Whether or not I’m the escape they needed at the time, or if I am struggling with my own trial, this scripture gives me comfort because I know that my Heavenly Father loves me enough to give me trials to prove myself. So, even though it’s hard at the time, trials ultimately bring peace in the end. The peace may come through a change of heart, a closer bond to family and friends, and sometimes they bring peace later only because we know they’re over.
Let me repeat again what I said earlier: “the pure love of Christ brings peace to our hearts.” I titled this essay “Publish Peace in thy Own Heart” because I believe that serving others, especially by following the words in Mosiah, we emulate the love of Christ and bring, or publish, peace in our own hearts. I want to testify to anyone and everyone that may stumble across this essay, for whatever reason, that I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost are three separate beings with one purpose. I know that My Redeemer lives. I testify that Christ-like love will bring you peace. It will ease your own burdens. I want to testify of the necessity of our families. I was asked recently what family means to me, and to me, “Family is the perfection of imperfection. We love each other because we are imperfect.” We need our families because we need people that will always be there to help us better ourselves. Sometimes it is really hard, but it is always worth it to let them in. I testify that if you put your trust in God, do your best and help others all you can, that your burdens shall be made light. Of all this I testify and pray that we might remember that service brings happiness, in the name of Jesus the Christ, amen.
Sources
1 Mosiah 15: 16-18
2 Moroni 7:47
3 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/charity
4 Bible Dictionary- Charity (pg. 632)
5 Mosiah 18: 8-9
6 1st Corinthians 10:13
6 comments:
I like the way you tie peace and charity. Your title is powerful, too. Great blog.
Sarah,
I liked your blog. When you mentioned that you like listening to people and how listening to your friends, problems made your burden lighter, it made me realize something. When I was in high school, one of my best friends and I talked about seemingly everything. She tended to have more serious problems than I did, and she felt that I was good at at least making her feel better. I realize now, that by just listening to her and reminding her that she is a daughter of God, not only eased her burdens, but mine also. Since I got married in April and started college at BYU, I have found that I don't really have friends that I can just go talk to like I did with her. It makes me feel lonely and like I don't have any one to listen to (or anyone-female-to listen to me. Anyways, I just wanted you to know that I understand that concept a lot better after reading your blog. Thank you.
I really enjoyed your blog and testimony. My favorite is how you expressed the importance of charity. Charity is the most important thing we can do to become more Christ like.
Sarah, I can really relate with listening to friends and by so doing, easing your heart as well. I really like how you tied this into your paper. Charity is what brings peace ultimately. =]
Sarah, I love how you brought in service. It has such a huge power to affect the lives of others. Your blog was great!
Peace and charity - I really liked that combination. Charity is such a beautiful thing. Nice job.
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