In 1 Corinthians 12 and in D&C 84, we are given instruction intended to strengthen members who might be inadequate when called to serve in certain capacities. It is given as an analogy: each member of the church is like a different body part all working in different ways with the same goal of creating a functioning body. Some members are the eyes, some are the ears, some are the head, and some are the feet. Each member of the church has a specific role to play and the Lord gives callings because He has arranged for us to help and strengthen each other. There is a "...need [for] every member, that all may be edified, that the system may be kept perfect".
Paul says that it's good to desire spiritual gifts, but the "more excellent way" is to have charity first. He provides a list of attributes that come with charity, as well as a list of characteristics that are not charitable.
Charity is NOT:
- Envying
- Vaunteth itself
- Not puffed up
- Behaves unseemly
- Easily provoked
- Seeketh her own
- Thinketh evily
- Rejoices in iniquity
Charity IS
- Long-suffering
- Kind
- Rejoices in truth
- Bears all things
- Believes all things
- Hopes all things
- Endures all things
- Comes with faith and hope
- Never fails
I feel the area that I could work to improve falls under the description of "behaves unseemly". While I don't think that my behaviors are necessarily immoral, sometimes goofyness and peer pressure causes me to behave in ways that might be considered unseemly. I would like to be able to smooth out some of these rough edges in order to have the Spirit more prominently in my life and have my behavior a more consistent example that reflects what I believe.
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