“Lend your arm to the aged, and open your purse at the cry of the poor. Guard well against the urge to plunder the unprotected and from treating the destitute with harshness.
“If you are lacking in compassion, it is well to remember that today, one may be rich and another poor; yet, ere a year has passed, the rich man may be working in a stable, and the poor man may be clothed in fine linen. Such are the balances of life, and it is, therefore, wise to turn a like countenance towards all men.
“Help the man in unfortunate circumstances, for anyone can fall into the pit of misfortune. Commit no assault upon him by reason of his weakness, nor turn his predicament to your own advantage. Fill his stomach with bread and drink. Provide a place for him to lay his head. Let your countenance be cheerful towards him, and let words of encouragement fall from your lips.”
-The Kolbrin Bible (MPR:8:1-3)
The Real Person vs the Weak Person
The “Real person,” which is to say, the spiritually strong person, shows kindness, mercy, concern, and love for all. While they think they are showing strength, the person who belittles the less fortunate among us is actually showing weakness.
Lend Your Arm and Open Your purse
As we get old, we all start to have health problems. It varies depending on a number of factors, including heredity, what we eat, and how well we care for ourselves. The weak person uses these as reasons to treat such people poorly; the strong person does not.
Some people are poor, homeless, and dressed in shabby clothes. That is not a reason to look down on them. As the quote says, the one who is rich today may be working in a stable tomorrow. More importantly, the spiritual person knows that real wealth comes from spiritual development, not money and material possessions.
Let Your Countenance be Cheerful
We should make every effort to be cheerful at all times. This is a benefit to ourselves as well as to others. When we show a happy face to others, they are likely to do the same. If we show an angry, or unfriendly face, that increases the chance that the other person will do the same. An important part of being spiritual is developing humility. It is usually not something we really have to work at. It simply happens as we grow. So let the Sunshine in, and let your sunshine out to others.
Sorry for the brief article, but I’ve just returned home from a three-day hospital stay and haven’t had much time to work on it.
