Simple Things

Ephesians 4:31-32

"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Today as we discussed in RS this scripture and how it can bring peace into our lives, the thought came to me that Charity is the key. When we "put away" the bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking only to "replace it" with kindness, tenderheartedness, forgiveness and charity; it is only then we can have the pure love of Christ.

"Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself . . . Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don't judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn't handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another's weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us."

Marvin J. Ashton (May 1992, Ensign)

Little side note: Thanks Steph for sharing this on your blog. As I was preparing my lesson my thoughts kept coming back to this quote. I am grateful for your insight. Thank you—I sure do love you.