What Charity Isn't

The other day, I read in D&C 117 about Newel K. Whitney--but was really reading about myself. At this point in his life, the Lord recognized Newel had some weaknesses and says that he needed to repent of "his littleness of soul."  That phrase stung me because how often do I have a "little" soul?  It is so little that I have learned to hide it deep inside, but it is in there, pushing me toward selfishness, toward what I want, and away from what God wants.  I so badly want to have charity--real charity, real love.  During conference I felt it, but even 3 hours after conference I was already forgetting what I'd learned. 

On Sunday, I had an idea.  As I was reading about charity, I decided to write down what charity wasn't--so I could avoid those behaviors, and maybe enlarge my own soul and enlarge Christ's pure love in my life.  So I began writing the opposite of charity, using Moroni 8.  I thought I would share some of the insights I gained. 

Littleness of soul and selfishness is the opposite of charity.


Littleness of soul . . .

--is impatient, and refuses to suffer either by God or by others, is never inconvenienced,

--is mean, rude, short, unkind,

--envies, wants what others have, ungrateful, doesn’t recognize the wonderful things she has,

--is puffed up, thinks she is better than others, falsely great, arrogant, full of air and no substance,

--seeks her own, always goes first in line for food, water or the door, seeks to please herself and what she wants first, never seeking to help others,

--easily provoked to anger, fear, or hurt feelings, easily offended, easily hurt, on the boiling point, yells easily, engages in contention,

--thinketh evil about others, finds faults in others, doesn’t drive out negative or sinful, lustful thoughts, dwells on evil images, ideas, thoughts,

--rejoiceth in iniquity, it feels good to be mad, to get even, to talk bad about others, gossips, to find the sins in others, to watch bad movies, listen to bad music, and invites others to do the same,

--rejoices in lies from Satan, lies from the world, lies about others and themselves,

--refuses to carry burdens, gets angry when asked to go through trials, seeks vengeance on any who inflict burdens, inconveniences, curses God for burdens, trials,

--is skeptical, everything has to be proven, questions everything from God and church leaders,

--is discouraged, refusing to hope, everything is catastrophic, never-ending, hopeless, there is no faith in Christ to help, save or alleviate,

--wants things to end immediately, angry in waiting,

Selfishness and littleness of soul is the core of Satan and it doesn’t last and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be disastrous with her.