In 1 Cor 12: 13-22 We learn that no matter what our calling in the church, we are doing important work. Each person labors in their calling whatever it may be, but we are all united in a common purpose to edify each other and build up the kingdom of God on the earth. There is not one calling or person who can do all the work alone. Our callings no matter how insignificant are important to the whole.
The apostle Paul speaks of spiritual gifts in chapters 13 and 14 of 1 Cor. We learn from Paul that charity is the "more excellent" spiritual gift. If we have charity, it helps us better use the gifts of the spirit. (1 Cor 13:1-3).
Charity is:
- long suffering
- kind
- rejoicing in truth
- beareth all things (keeps out resentment)
- believeth all things
- hopeth all things
- endureth all things
- never failing (love is not easily removed from its place)
Charity is not:
- envy
- bragging (vaunteth not itself)
- puffed up
- unseemly behavior
- selfish (seeketh not her own)
- easily provoked (irritable, exasperated, anger)
- thinking evil
- rejoicing in iniquity
In order for us to become like the Savior, we need to develop charity. To develop charity, we need to develop the attributes of it. I would like to increase my ability to not be easily provoked. It is so easy sometimes to be irritated with people for various reasons. At times it is my children or family and at other times it could be the slow checker at the grocery store or the guy who won't drive the speed limit. We know that we should be slow to anger or slow to be irritated, but it is not always easy to do. In Moroni 7:45-48 we learn that to develop charity we need to pray with all energy of heart to be filled with the love of Christ. My plan to improve in this area is to seek help from my Heavenly Father in my daily prayers, and then try to replace feelings of irritability or anger with love. Give people the benefit of the doubt and seek to be more Christ like.
Paul also taught about the Gift of Tongues in 1 Cor. 14. The gift of Tongues is for the benefit of the servants of God to preach to the unbelievers (vs. 22). Joseph Smith taught that we should not speak in the gift of tongues without and interpreter or understanding it. He also taught that things that are taught by tongues are not to be received for doctrine. The devil can speak in tongues, so this gift should not be applied to that which God does not intend. God is the author of peace, not confusion (vs. 33).
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