Charity Is The Pure Love Of Christ

One of my goals this year is to become more charitable. After reading in Mary Ellen Edmunds book "Love is a Verb" I read the following definanitions of charity and thought is was cool so I share here:

Mary Ellen Edmunds
(from Love is a Verb)

Charity suffereth long. To suffer is to endure, bear, allow, permit, tolerate. Job suffered long. So did Christ. So have countless others.

Charity is kind, friendly, gentle, tenderhearted, and generous.

Charity envieth not. There is no discontent or ill will because of another's advantages or possessions, no desireto get something that belongs to someone else.

Charity vaunteth not itself, does not brag or boast or seek to be above another.

Charity is not puffed up. If we have charity, we do not want praise unduly. Trying to put ourselves above one another can make us tired and sick. We can't afford to separate ourselves from others. We need them as much as they need us.

Charity does not behave itself unseemly. We avoid that which is indecent or unbecoming.

Charity seeketh not her own. There are no exclusive groups—one possessed of the pure love of Christ reaches out to everyone. We visit those who can't come to visit us. We practice becoming better listeners. We speak to people we don't know yet, be the first to be friendly and to get acquainted. We work to have a countenance that shows love to everyone.

Charity is not easily provoked. If we have charity, we are patient and not easily angered or irritated. No small thing! This is one I have to work on continually. The real Christian is not touchy, doesn't have a quick temper, and is not impatient. Even when he or she is driving in traffic . . .

Charity thinketh no evil. Charitable people are always looking for the good in people, situations, and experiences. We need to forgive each other. That is critical if we are to receive forgiveness and to have peace of mind ourselves.

Charity rejoices not in iniquity. We strive to purge wickedness from our lives and close the gap between our righteous desires and our actual behavior. We want to have the harmony and inner peace that come from forsaking evil.

Charity rejoiceth in the truth, in that which is established as fact, as principle. Those with charity strive to be true, sincere, genuine, honest, and in agreement with established standards.

Charity beareth all things. To bear means to undergo successfully, to be capable of withstanding, to permit, to sustain the burden of. It includes the lightening of others' burdens, helping to make their burdens bearable.

Charity believeth all things, having confidence in a statement or promise of another person, especially God.

Charity hopeth all things—a desire accompanied by anticipation, trust, or reliance.

Charity endureth all things—to last, continue, remain; to bear.

And finally, charity never faileth. Charity never lacks or falls short, never deceives or disappoints. It is never insufficient or negligent, never loses strength or power, is never useless or ineffectual, never abandons, leaves, or omits.

Charity helps us become more tenderhearted toward each other, more willing to forgive freely and completely. It's an important way to lighten our own burdens as well as the burdens of others. We are often too hard on ourselves and others. If we spend time comparing, criticizing, competing, or condemning, we might miss opportunities for intimacy and forgiving and service and unity that would add a great deal to our lives.