Last Monday, my EC and I found ourselves standing in the middle of the oldest cemetery in New Orleans. No, we didn’t lose anyone, we were there as tourists. Why would anyone visit a cemetery by choice? Well, it wasn’t just a regular cemetery, it was New Orleans St. Louis Cemetery #1
It was was established in the late 1700’s, but what makes it different than any cemetery I have ever seen is that it consists solely of above-ground tombs. Rather than give you a lecture about cemeteries, I’ll get to the point of the post. (But here’s a quick peak at the actor Nicholas Cage’s tomb that he had built and has waiting for his eventual demise.)
OK, enough backstory…
Although it was a Catholic cemetery, our tour guide made it clear, early on, that he did not subscribe to any specific religion. During the course of the tour, he made one off-hand statement that caught my ear, and stuck in my mind.
He pointed out a block of new, finely constructed tombs that stood out in contrast to many of the ancient and decaying structures.
He informed us that they had been donated to an order of nuns from the area, and is used to entomb unclaimed homeless people – but here is how he said it:
“This is where the nuns do Christianity on the homeless people.”
Do Christianity on people? I don’t think I had ever heard that expression in my life. How do you “Do Christianity” on someone?
So, that phrase stuck in my head all week. As a Christian, and a Member of the LDS Church, how do I “do Christianity” on those around me? How do you “do Christianity” on those around you? Do we “do” it on people often enough?
Love Thy Neighbor – Meh.
The first thought that came to mind was the first and second great commandments:
Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. (Matthew 22:38)
We hear it all the time: Love your neighbor, love your kids, love your spouse, etc. But what does that actually mean? It has always seemed quite fuzzy to me, and kind of a cop-out answer. Good intentions don’t feed the bulldog. Apparently, President Monson seems to feel the same way.
“How do we demonstrate to our Heavenly Father that we love Him? When Sister Monson and I were university students, there was a popular song that had words something like these: “It’s easy to say I love you, easy to say I’ll be true; easy to say these foolish things, but prove it by the things you do.” We have a responsibility to prove to our Heavenly Father, by the things we do, that we love Him.” (How do We Show Our Love?)
Sitting around thinking loving thoughts is clearly not how we show our love for Heavenly Father, so it must surely not fulfill our responsibility to love our neighbors. Whenever I hear the expression, “all we need to to is love each other,” I think that doesn’t mean anything! At least not until you put some real actions behind it. And without actions, I’m not convince the sentiment is real.
Because of that, “Love thy neighbor” is too fuzzy to be a description of how to “do Christianity” on people. We need to figure out what that means. Christ backed up his directive to love God and each other with some very specific instructions.
Here are a few ideas as to how to “Do Christianity” on others. (By no means a complete list)
1) Forgiveness
The essence of Christianity is grace and mercy through Jesus Christ and His atonement. It seems to me that extending grace to our fellow beings is a way to “do Christianity” on others by merely offering forgiveness when we are wronged.
“I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.” (D&C 64:10)
Is there anything more Christlike we can do than to forgive one another?
2) Service
Nobody explains it better than Jesus himself:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:35-40)
See that? Now we are getting into some specifics.
3) Rescue the Lost Sheep
Again, quoting the Master:
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over onesinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:4-7)
4) Share the Gospel
With Christ as our exemplar, we know that one of the greatest ways to “do Christianity” on someone is to share the gospel with them. Missionary work is a key component of Christianity, and specifically the restored Gospel – since Christ himself walked the earth.
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. (Matthew 9:35-37)
These are just four ideas as to how we can “do Christianity” on others. There are many more. Please help me expand the list so we can figure out what it means to “love our neighbor.” Add your ideas in the comments below – and if you can, add a supporting scripture or quote as I have done. (I pulled most of mine from the New Testament, but modern prophets and all the scriptures would be great.)
I look forward to hearing your thoughts- and thanks in advance.
Have a great week, and keep in mind how you are “doing Christianity” on those around you – it is enlightening, if not motivating.
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My first thought was a phrase that I should have running through my mind more often than I do, but it’s something to the effect that “thoughts and intentions are not actions.” I can think of a millions ways to serve someone or show kindness, and even intend on doing them, but until I actually follow through with the action, it does them (and me) no good.
Maybe that thought first came to mind when I heard a talk by President Uchtdorf, “Of Regrets and Resolutions” – General Conference October 2012. In that talk he said:
“When it comes to living the gospel, we should not be like the boy who dipped his toe in the water and then claimed he went swimming. As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, we are capable of so much more. For that, good intentions are not enough. We must do. Even more important, we must become what Heavenly Father wants us to be.”
“Doing Christianity” definitely involves doing. More particularly to me it means doing the things the Savior would do if he were in my shoes.
A great and much needed post, germane to the true meaning of the word “love” (a counterfeit unless like faith it is manifested in works) as it is intended in the Gospel. All too often we settle for feeling righteous and neglect the work that is necessary to truly become (and remain) righteous, forgetting the instruction given by Paul and Moroni (Phillippians 2:12, Mormon 9:27) that we must work out our salvation and the warning in Isaiah 50:11 that none of us will “meditate”, “feel” or “philosophize” our way into the Celestial Kingdom. It is in the doing that we become the Children of God, and we have hope to attain the fullness of our divine heritage. Only when we are so “possessed” of Charity (Moroni 7:47-48) as our Father in Heaven is (1 John 7,8,16) that our work and glory become as His (Moses 1:39), will we be completely one with him so that we see as we are seen and know as we are known (D&C 76:94).
I think you and your other commenters have covered the main ways that I can think of…However, one simple yet profound way to “do” Christianity is pray for others and pray to love others. Prayer is, of course, closely tied with all of the ways already mentioned. But it is so powerful that I felt it deserved a mention of its own.
One of my favorite scriptures is Moroni 7:48: 48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, apray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true bfollowers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall cbe like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be dpurified even as he is pure. Amen.
Thank you.
Actually, I really like the phrase “do Christianity.” Saying we “believe in Christ” or we “are Christian” doesn’t really express how we’re actually (trying) to live our lives.
This post and thoughts come at a time when I’ve been thinking about kindness and forgiveness and empathy in the midst of insane pain due to a a circumstance beyond my control. Thank you.
Great post! I love New Orleans, that’s where we got married! Its a magical place.
As far as “doing Christianity” that really is a good question. What first came to my mind was “Don’t Judge” (Mathew 7:1-5..well really the entire chapter) I think we’ve all felt judged by people, mis judged, unfairly judged, we’ve all probably been guilty of it as well. I think if we can all try not to be so judgmental then we will all succeed in “doing Christianity” a little better. And really if we are loving our neighbor and passing judgement on their choices and actions at the same time we are kind of making fools of ourselves aren’t we. Thanks for sharing this, as always good food for thought, and reminded me of a special city for us.
Christianity is in the doing. Quite simply.
I think my thoughts will be along the same lines as some of those above, but here goes. One of my first thoughts was the definition of charity as found in I Corinthians 13. We do Christianity by being kind, long-suffering, not envying, being humble, seeking not our own, not being easily provoked, not thinking evil, etc.. And then remembering that the love of Christ will not fail us – EVER! It’s there for us, ALL of us. I was reminded of this love for all God’s children as we have been trying to sell our house for the last 6 months in preparation for serving a mission. We have felt all along that there was a family coming to buy our house. We felt that they would need a house as large as ours and could not afford to pay what many that size were asking. I wondered if maybe it would be a new LDS family for our little ward who had recently lost several active families who held key positions. We had lots of lookers, even a couple of offers that fell through and then. . . along comes a great Christian family who loved our house. They are not LDS, but what a neat experience it was to hear them say they had been praying to find the right house, at a price they could afford and then when they found ours they felt it was “Divine Providence”. Our Father loves us all, if we could only remember that and show even a fraction of that love towards others in the ways Paul mentions in his letter to the Corinthians we would doing Christianity in a big, impacfull way.
I love your thoughts on this. Great comments as well. I think that kindness cost absolutely nothing and is always available to us. Just be kind. That is “doing” Christianity in the most basic way.
Being kind costs us our pride – which is why we should do it.
Very thought provoking. I hope this doesn’t come off as crazy but this popped into my head as I read you excellent post.I just returned from visiting two sons/families who live in a western state which will remain un-named. I found that driving on the highways in this state was a terrifying experience. This opinion comes from a woman who has moved 18 times, driven all over Europe and who now lives in an area with some of the worst rush hour traffic in the nation. I mentioned to my sons my feeling about how people were driving in their area and my oldest son said that when the people get in their cars they ignore their religion. I think one of the ways that we can DO Christianity is to be kinder, more law abiding and courteous as drivers. We can be the most faithful followers of Christ and then turn into complete impatient terrors on the road.
The “Do” stuck with me- as in, “DO unto others as you would have others DO unto you.” This is basic and deceptively “easy,” but I know that if I truly considered this in all my actions (which would require thinking about what I’m going to do or say before I do it, which is not always the case…) then I would be more Christian. I tend much too often to make snap judgements, or say negative things, etc.
I also think that one of the best examples of true Christianity among my personal acquaintances is a sister who ACTIVELY decides to love and not to take offense or become angry. When the bus driver seemed to dislike her kids, she decided to serve and made her cookies, etc. When someone sitting behind them at church did something that resulted in a minor injury to her daughter, she decided not to turn and see who it was so she would bear no ill will. If love is a verb and not just warm feelings, loving your neighbor is a powerful way to DO Christianity.
The question is very thought-provoking. I think one of the best ways to “do Christianity” is to just be kind, which President Monson often reminds us to do.
“Love – The Essence of the Gospel” April 2014 – https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/love-the-essence-of-the-gospel?lang=eng&query=
“Until We Meet Again” October 2014 -https://www.lds.org/ensign/2014/11/sunday-afternoon-session/until-we-meet-again?lang=eng
One of my best friends is Catholic (so yes, she is also Christian), and I have found that the best thing that I can do to share the Savior’s love for her and to share the gospel is to be her friend and to be kind. Sometimes that sends the biggest message of all.
Love this post – great reminder of forgiveness, service and ‘doing Christianity’. Also, I’ve been to the cemeteries in New Orleans – quite the place to visit. Did they tell you why they place them above ground? Water tables place an important part. . . .
I will comment on this one: Here is the scripture- ( I dont know if the link will work) https://www.lds.org/scriptures/ot/gen/31.36?lang=eng Genesis 31.
This chapter tells the story of when Father Israel (Jacob) parts ways with Laban, his Father In Law. They were family, even with all the trouble Laban had put Jacob through, you dont do that…right? Sometimes, there are circumstances when the most Christian thing you can do for everyone involved and the bigger picture of things- preserving future generations, and being able to focus on what the Lord needs from you- and for Jacob this was about an entire nation of people – hard things need to happen. What I love about this story, is that before they went their separate ways, they made a covenant. The covenant is very important- it guaranteed safety and an intact relationship together as a family. They even had the Sacrament together before Laban left. Making covenants and trusting in them are the best doing of Christianity in my experience. Hard things are going to happen, Hard decisions need to be made- but if we are faithful to our covenants, everything will be more that awesome out the other end. Christ will do Christianity unto us.
This really goes along with todays Gospel Doctrine lesson of ‘The Shepherds of Israel’. Maybe I will ask my class, How they “Do” Christianity. Wonderful post, thanks for sharing.
I don’t have time to offer any suggestions just yet, I’m typing as I’m loading kids in the car for church. I just wanted to say, you bring light, knowledge, and truth into my life every time you post. You make me think and ponder and always with a laugh (“love thy neighbor – meh”). Thank you for “doing Christianity” in a way that helps me become better.
Amen!
One of my three children who are not active, has been helping me redo the house. She has a multitude of psychological issues that make it hard for her to interact with people outside the family. We go to Home Depot together. We go to a yogurt shop for work breaks. Last night we went to another daughter’s house for a night of crafting and conversation. She spoke to strangers. And she very humbly bragged to me about it when I took her home. I thanked her for helping me. She thanked me for asking for her help. She is a gifted artist who offers great suggestions but does not try to boss me around. And we came up with an idea for a business that could enable her to earn a living doing what she loves, with me using my talents to handle the business end. (One more incentive to finish the inside of the house and clean three households’ worth of stuff out of the garage.) I can’t “fix” her, but I can and do love her. And she knows it. She is one of my precious lost lambs. But she’s not lost to God. And she’s not lost to me.
Wonderful post! I love the way you provide some clarity when the commandment is clear, but then again, not quite so clear. 🙂