"When Paul spoke of 'equity' among the saints he was not speaking of complete sameness. Latter-day revelation clarifies that in matters of temporal welfare, equality is determined in consideration in each person's needs, wants and circumstances." -The Institute Manual
God cares about our hearts. Our attitude about giving of our time, talents. Do I use all I have to serve God? Am I grateful I can see, move my hands, visit people in the hospital? Am I grateful for all I have and do I acknowledge it is all from God? Do you compare my life with others or do I view my life as a consecrated gift to God?
Calculate tithing with a sharp pencil? Calculate blessings with a sharp pencil.
Moroni 7:9 Give a good gift. Example of how to give pieces of a cake nicely or just grabbing it and putting it on a plate.
"If you're hungry or old, feed my sheep."
"Such as I have, give I thee."
"President Joseph F. Smith wrote, 'that a religion has not the power to save people temporally and make them prosperous and happy here, cannot be depended upon to save them spiritually, to exalt them in the life to come.' The temporal and the spiritual are linked inseparably. As we give of our time, talent and resources to tend to the needs of the sick, offer food to the hungry, and teach the dependent to stand on their own, we enrich ourselves spiritually beyond our ability to comprehend. the Lord declared in a revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith; 'It is my purpose to provide for my saints. But it must be in my own way, and behold this time way that I, the Lord, have decreed to provide form my saints, the the poor shall be exalted, in that the rich are made low,'...the Savior who set the pattern for us, s pleased with those that remember in all things the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted. He is pleased with those who harken to His admonition to 'succor the weak, life the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees." Joseph B. Worthily
Share talents. Be thankful and grateful for diverse talents.
The prophet Joseph Smith encouraged church members to measure themselves through a comparison to God, "Search your hearts and see if you are like God. I have searched mine, and feel to repent of all my sins." Institute Manual
Elder Oaks observed that, "perspective is the ability to see all relevant information in a meaningful relationship."
When prideful, we tend to take honor to ourselves rather than giving it to others, including the Lord. Pride often competitive, it is the tendency to seek to obtain more and presume we are better than others...it causes one to hold grudges or to withhold forgiveness. Gary E. Stevenson
"any virtue when taken to an extreme can become a vise...There comes a point where milestones can become millstones and ambitions, albatrosses around our necks." Dieter F. Uchdorf
