Helping those who need our help is a characteristic sign of Zion. That is the way people lived in the cities of Enoch and Melchizedek, and it is the way it will be again in the Millennium. There is no reason we cannot start now. In fact, we are commanded to share our temporal possessions with others. Sometimes we refuse to share our possessions with others, however, and rationalize our behavior by arguing that people bring their misery on themselves; they are just suffering the natural consequences of their behavior. Anyone who thinks and acts like that has “great cause to repent.” God reminds us that we are all beggars. All that we have is not ours in the first place; it all belongs to him. When we have more than we really need, we can give more fast offerings. We can assist with humanitarian projects. We can help relieve the suffering of those who lose everything in floods, fires, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, avalanches, mudslides, and other physical disasters—not to mention all the spiritual disasters.
“For Behold Are We Not All Beggars?”
Helping those who need our help is a characteristic sign of Zion. That is the way people lived in the cities of Enoch and Melchizedek, and it is the way it will be again in the Millennium. There is no reason we cannot start now. In fact, we are commanded to share our temporal possessions with others. Sometimes we refuse to share our possessions with others, however, and rationalize our behavior by arguing that people bring their misery on themselves; they are just suffering the natural consequences of their behavior. Anyone who thinks and acts like that has “great cause to repent.” God reminds us that we are all beggars. All that we have is not ours in the first place; it all belongs to him. When we have more than we really need, we can give more fast offerings. We can assist with humanitarian projects. We can help relieve the suffering of those who lose everything in floods, fires, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, avalanches, mudslides, and other physical disasters—not to mention all the spiritual disasters.