36 And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord that he would give unto the Gentiles grace, that they might have charity.
37 And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: If they have not charity it mattereth not unto thee, thou hast been faithful; wherefore, thy garments shall be made clean. And because thou hast seen thy weakness thou shalt be made strong, even unto the sitting down in the place which I have prepared in the mansions of my Father.
(Ether 12:36-37)
In these verses, we see firsthand how charity operates in the life of Moroni. He really cared about his future readers and wanted them to have every blessing he had received, including the attribute of charity which had brought him so much peace and happiness. He knew that if they could receive that gift, then they would experience the same happiness. But there is a limit to what we can do for others, and that limit is defined by our Father’s commitment to our agency. We cannot compel others to seek and receive the most valuable gifts available. They must choose to do so for themselves.
During this Christmas season, I will remember that the greatest gifts can be given only by our Heavenly Father, and only to those who are willing to receive them. Like Moroni, I will pray that the people I love may receive the gifts that God alone can give.
Leave a Reply