I left Walmart and noticed someone standing the typical spot that homeless people do. Honestly I haven't always stopped to give them something, but this woman caught my attention. She held up a sign that said will work for food. I also noticed her swollen belly under the makeshift sign. Her plight tugged at my heart strings. I can't imagine being pregnant and homeless, worrying about where my next meal would come from at a time when I'd hope to get optimal nutrition. I had some crackers in my car and gave them to her. Then I drove off some but decided to turn around and give her a little cash from my wallet. I wished I could do more and thought about how much I taken for granted all that God has blessed me with. I've never not had all that I need. I know that He loves that woman though; He is mindful of her plight and loves her no less than He loves me. A few scriptures ran through my mind as I drove away.
"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17) When we give of ourselves, who are we really serving? That child of God, loved and known of Him, and God our Father.
Mosiah 4:19-21 reads, "For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind? And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy. And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another....." Then the verses go on to discuss the evil in judging the person who begs from substance for you. I know that a merciful Father in Heaven does hear and answer every prayer. He loves us enough that He wants all of us to inherit all that He has. We ought to strive to emulate His supreme goodness and generosity if we are to become like Him. And Heavenly Father gives us so much, only for our benefit and not for a return, except the joy of seeing us grow and reach our full potentail.
One final thing really touched me. The Savior taught the parable of the Sheep and the Goats. At the last day, we will be judged and found on the right or left hand of God. He tells those found on the right hand in Matthew 25:35," For I was a hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." The righteous asked him, "Lord, when saw we thee?" And the Son of God replied, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." President Eyring has said, "When we offer succor to anyone, the Savior feels it as if we reached out to succor Him." The Savior suffered for our sins, struggles, and sorrows. He knows of our suffering and will sustain us through it. We have the blessing, if we will seek and ask the Lord for it, to reach out and help others. There is nothing that we have that does not come from God. As we give of it freely, we will feel the Holy Ghost telling us that is right, and be filled with the love Heavenly Father and the Savior have for us and for them. We receive more than we'll ever give because we become like Christ. We have so much to grateful for and so much we can give. Pray and ask how you can help and go find someone in need: emotionally, physically, spiritually.
{CTR Always, ETTE}
(This is also why the Lord asks us to live the Law of the Fast. This is a way that the Lord enables all of us to help the poor)
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/is-not-this-the-fast-that-i-have-chosen?lang=eng&_r=1
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