"You Are My Hands"

"Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?"

"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 great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (see Matt 22:36-39). The Savior also taught, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you" (John 15:12).

"As I have loved you." How has He loved us? With a perfect, unfailing, nonjudgmental love.

Later, the Savior commanded, "for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do" (3 Nephi 27:21).

What have we seen the Savior do? Comfort the weary, bless the sick, mourn with those that mourn, lift the hands that hang down, bring hope to the hopeless, and otherwise show compassion and love to all. Jesus Christ practiced what He preached and was the perfect example of charity and love. And He commands us to do the same.

In the most recent General Conference, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf spoke about the love of God and of our roles as disciples of Christ to "support and heal rather than condemn." His talk, entitled, "You Are My Hands," teaches us how we can do as the Savior commands and, in effect, be His hands and do what He would do if He were among us today.

Many of our neighbors near us and across the world are in great need of our loving help and friendship. Developing a greater love and charity toward all men is something that each of us can and needs to constantly improve. And the Lord is there waiting and willing to help us.

Jeremy