Doctrine and Covenants 49:20

"But it is not given that one man should possess that which is above another, wherefore the world lieth in sin."
Doctrine and Covenants 49:20


Wow.  The verse before this talks about how the stuff on the earth is here so that we can use it (wisely), and have abundance... and then this verse about how God doesn't want us to possess things unequally.  Seems like we are very far from that ideal.  And God also values free agency, so we can't just force everyone to give up what they have and redistribute it more fairly. :)  So, how do we get there while allowing people to make their own choices?  That's a lot harder than most of the world's answers.  This is a change that we have to make within ourselves, not a change that any government can make for us.  And it is something that the Lord already asks us to do.  He tells us to give to those who ask.  He tells us to take care of the poor and the needy, he asks us to give generously, to love the people around us, to pay tithes.
We look at this scripture and the state of the world, and think... wow, that is too huge.  Too impossible.  There is nothing that we can do to solve that.  But there is.  We can take a step... there is something that we can do individually without expecting the entire world to do the same.  Today, let's look for that thing that we can do to make a difference.  Let's make the world a little better.  Not by robbing people, or demanding more.... but by giving what we can to others, whether that is money, or time, or education, or work, or stuff that we don't need.  And let's not give to show people that we are cool either... let's do it quietly, anonymously where possible, and humbly, not making anyone feel bad that they are in need or have to ask for help.  In Zion there were no poor among them.  Let's see how we can help that to happen for the people around us.