D&C 82:19-24

82:19-21 - Yesterday I ended with the question, what does it say about us as human beings if we have the abundance to be able to give every person alive food, clean water, shelter, and clothing, yet we refuse and have such a huge discrepancy in the standard of living throughout the world. The Lord tells us exactly why that is, the system only works if “every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God.” This is really it, the only way that it can work, and what is the antithesis of seeking the glory of God and welfare of our neighbor? Selfishness. We are so selfish as a people that we cannot look at the deplorable situations of our fellows and think “this is unacceptable, what can we do to fix this?” And that’s the question right? As a whole, I don’t think that most people are evil, honestly, I think most want to do good and help others. I believe that most are generous and compassionate. So if the majority of people want to help others, and yet we still have these horrific situations facing people, homelessness, violence, rape, war, murder, suicide, destitution, starvation, suffering, sickness, then why is that? If the resources are there and the majority of the people want others to be at least comfortable in living, what is it that is keeping that back? My answer is a few incredibly evil and selfish people who usurp power and rule in a manner that is both covert and deceptive. So the question is, what can we, as good people do? I like the saying, “you can’t do everything for everyone, but you can do something for someone.” I think that if we make conscientious choices when comes to voting, and if we, in our hearts “seek the interest of our neighbor” and “do “all things with an eye single to the glory of God.” The IM quotes President Joseph Fielding Smith as teaching, “It is verily true that before we can enter into the celestial kingdom we will have to learn how to live in unity with the love of our fellows at heart, desiring their good as well as our own, and not preferring ourselves before them. Here the Lord have to the Church the plan and the opportunity to prepare themselves by obedience to celestial law. They failed, and the privilege to practice this law of consecration had to be postponed because we were not able to esteem our neighbor as ourselves.” We can do our part, we can do the best we can, be kind, be conscientious. 82:22-24 – If we act in the best interest of our neighbor, the question is “who is our neighbor?” This is an age old question, answered by the Savior himself, and he tells us indirectly in verse 22 “and this is wisdom, make unto yourselves friends with the mammon of unrighteousness, and they will not destroy you.” DJR comments “you may have noticed on numerous occasions that the leaders of the Church strive to be friendly toward many whose lifestyles do not reflect gospel standards. The Savior spoke of this when He was accused of associating with sinners. He replied, ‘They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.’” Aren’t we all sick? Don’t we all have imperfections that we are striving to overcome. The IM says, “The commandment of the Lord that the saints should make themselves ‘friends with the mammon of unrighteousness,’ seems to be a hard saying when not properly understood. It is not intended that in making friends of the ‘mammon of unrighteousness’ that the brethren were to partake with them in their sins; to receive them to their bosoms, to intermarry with them and… come down to their level. They were to so live that peace with their enemies might be assured. They were to treat them kindly, be friendly with them as far as correct and virtuous principles would permit, but never to swear with them or drink and carouse with them. If they could allay prejudice and show a willingness to trade with and show a kindly spirit, it might help to turn them away from their bitterness. Judgment was to be left with the Lord.” I always tell my kids “who’s job is it to judge someone?” “Jesus” or “the bishop.” What’s our job?” “To love them.”