Monday, January 12, 2009

Pure Love and Service

2 Nephi 21:4
"But with righteousness shall be judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meed of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked."

So, I got thinking the other day about something that seems to be a recurring theme amongst those in my church who have served full-time missions: unparalleled love for the people in the area in which they served.  They spend 2 years of their lives doing nothing but serving and preaching the gospel to the people in the area in which they are called to go.  In doing so, they come to love them so greatly that often times, they don't want to leave, wishing they could just stay there and continue serving and teaching.  

You could say that would mirror Christ's ministry on the earth.  Numerous times he testifies of his love for the people of Jerusalem.  I can imagine witnessing the influence you have on others being a direct reason for people to grow and change their lives for the better can create an attachment and a certain type of love for them.  I can't think of anyone who had more influence on others' lives than Christ.  Which can kind of give me an appreciation for the love these "return missionaries" have for the people they served for so long.

But as I was pondering on that phenomenon, a thought came to my mind, and I wrote it down.  "If people develop an extreme love for those in the area they are called to serve a mission, why can't we love people from our home town just as much?"

Really, why can't we?  What is stopping us from doing as much good on our own as we can for those in our immediate neighborhoods and communities?  We don't have to be called by a prophet of God in order to serve our fellow man.  All it takes is simple charity and pure love.  If a missionary can do so much good and develop such an accute love for people within a 2 year period.. think how much good we could do and how much love we could ascertain given the chance to live within the same community for 5, 10, 15 years?  

Why do we need a suit (or dress) and a name tag to be able to muster up the courage to share our beliefs with those we surround ourselves with daily?  Do we fear rejection?  Are we ashamed for what we believe in?  Are we afraid that, if questioned, we won't know the answer?  Are we unsure of our own testimony and our own ability to testify of the truth to those who we might actually care about?  If so, we have some work to do on our own ability to overcome fear [interesting.. see last night's blog..].

Doubt not, fear not.

Why do missionaries develop such a love?  Because they go through a process.  First they come to an understanding of what it is exactly they believe, they gain an unshakable testimony.  Second, they overcome their fear of men and go out and teach and testify.  Because that's really what it is.  We have ALL been commanded to spread the gospel, not just missionaries.  So if we don't do so who do we fear more, men or God?  Third, they gain strength from their testimonies.  The more you share your testimony, the stronger it becomes.  Through that strength they are able to testify with more clarity and confidence.  By doing so they become closer to their Heavenly Father which brings them happiness.  By making them happier and full of joy they come to more closely resemble their Heavenly Father.  Being more resembling of our Heavenly Father fills us with love and charity, the pure love of Christ.  Once we have that pure love, we can't help but love those around us.  

So, maybe that's the key to truly loving everyone around us.  By being charitable.  By doing His will (sharing the gospel).  By "being in the service of our fellow man."  Because if we refuse to serve our fellow man, what are we really saying?  We're saying that we see no need to serve them or that we have no desire to serve them.  That's basically saying that we don't love them, that we don't see them as our brothers and sisters which we know them to be.  If my sister lived next door, I hope I would love her enough to help her with anything she needed my aid for, and hopefully I'd offer to do even more than she'd ask me to do.  She's my sister, I love her.  


I'll end my thoughts tonight with a scripture comparison.

You can easily come to the conclusion that verses 35 and 36 are acts of service, and verses 37-40 are self explanatory.

Matthew 25:34-40
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundaiton of the world:
35 For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and cloted thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

That scripture is further explained by a passage from the Book of Mormon.

Mosiah 2:16-17
16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.
17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

So we can come to the assumption from these 2 passages of scripture that by serving those around us, we are serving God.  So why the hesitation to do so?  We can also extend that assumption to the inverse.  If we are NOT serving our fellow beings, we are NOT serving God, despite God's own admonition, even His command, that we do so.

I present the following scripture to bring the point home.

Matthew 6:24
"No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.  Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

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