To Give All

Every day we are always giving something. From our time at work to our excuses, or smiles and service, or money at the store and even love to those around us. We are always giving. And yet, it seems that it can be much more difficult to give when someone asks. We think "oh no, I'm sorry but I just can't give that", when really we are already prepared to do so if we wouldn't get in our own way.

Christ taught a parable that says, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." (Matthew 13:45-46) The kingdom of God is the pearl of great price. It is beautiful and worth everything that we have to give. And in order to be received there, we are required to give all that we have to give. This can mean that we need to give up our bad habits that stop us from becoming more like Christ. But through repentance this is possible. It could refer to giving up our desires and replacing them with the will of God; and through faith and trust in Him we can do this. Sometimes we will be required to give of our personal belongings that are temporal for this world to help others. This builds our charity and love toward God and all of His children. Sometimes it is very hard and we don't understand why it is being asked of us - but our Heavenly Father never requires something that we can't give, and He will never set us up for failure. He did not send us here to fail, but to succeed, and He will help us every step of the way as we turn to Him for that help so that we can enter into His kingdom.

Sacrifice is the act of giving to the Lord whatever He requires of our time, our earthly possessions, and our energies to further His work. His work is the bringing of His children back to live with Him for eternity, and they are able to do this as they sacrifice and live righteously. But why is sacrifice so important? It is so hard and sometimes seems like too much to ask of us. But it wouldn't be asked of us if it weren't possible or if it weren't for our good. Sacrifice helps us become like Jesus Christ who suffered and gave all that He had to help us as God's children to have a way to return home. He was perfect, and yet He was still required to sacrifice in order to be with God forever. As we give to the Lord - and to those around us - we are perfected little by little so that we, too, my be with our God and Father.

It is through Jesus Christ that this is possible. Not only because He is our perfect example, but also because of what He sacrificed. Because of His love for God and for each of us personally, He drank the bitter cup and suffered for all of our sins so we might have a way to repent and become perfected through our actions and our desires. It was Christ that said, "Nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done" so that we would have a mediator and a hope for the eternal joys promised us. As we look to Christ, we can find that joy. "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2) We can follow His teachings and His example. We can become disciples of Christ each day as we dedicate ourselves to that joy for which He endured, and for which we are all able to endure with His help.

I know that God keeps His promises to us, as does our Savior Jesus Christ. They love us so dearly and are aware of our sufferings, trials, and triumphs. They only desire for us to receive their sacrifices so that we might give all we have and all that we are to the eternal promises we have been given so that we might be able to fulfill our full potential. Like the man in the parable, we will find the pearl of great price, and we will have a desire to give all we have for it. It takes time and effort, faith, prayer, and hard work, but through our Savior it is possible. I desire to be more willing to give, and more happy to suffer in the name of Christ so that I might become like Him. I feel His love for me, and I am so grateful to know that His arms are always open to me as I strive to become a better disciple. My prayer echos that of the prophet Omni: "And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved." (Omni 1:26)