A certain businessman had been working away to complete a deal. He returned, not having eaten for over 24 hours. He drove straight home.

When he got there his wife was out and he realised that he didn’t have his house-key with him. He was hungry and irritable. He drove back into town, called at Subway, and bought a meat and cheese roll.

Back in his car, he was about to take a big bite when there was a tapping on his window. He saw a dishevelled man with matted hair and pleading eyes. He opened the window. ‘Please sir,’ said the man, ‘I haven’t eaten for three days.’ The businessman looked at the roll and looked at the man. He handed it over to him. ‘Thank you, thank you, sir!’ the man said.

The businessman could simply have said ‘No.’ Having thought about it later, he came to realize that he had been feeling sorry for himself with no justification whatsoever. He had the means to get any food he wanted, any time.

Was this charity then? Certainly. We regard charity as any small sacrifice we choose to make. But it can also be an attitude, not just a one-off.

We show charity when we put others first in any given situation instead of thinking of ourselves. What we say is not as important as valuing as individuals the people we are interacting with. If they can feel your charity, this is love.

Written by Mike Humphreys, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

 

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