Every Man Esteem His Brother As Himself

To my daughter, 

                Recently I read a book called La Grève des Bàttu by Aminata Sow Fall. It is about man named Kéba Dabo who was tasked with getting rid of all the beggars on the streets in his city because it was hurting the tourism there. He was glad to do it and he went to extreme measures, even using force, to kick out the beggars from off the streets. He was successful in his mission and these poor people gathered at a certain place outside the city not sure what to do. One of their leaders decided that they would indeed stay off the streets and that they would go on strike. She told them, “D’ici peu de temps vous verrez que nous leur sommes utiles comme l’air qui’ils respirent” (pg 73). (“It won’t take long and you’ll see that we are as useful to them as the air that they breathe.”) In other words, they would no longer beg or offer people the opportunity to give charity, and she predicted that the people would realize they needed the poor as much as the poor needed them. This proved to be true for Kéba. He was trying to become the next vice-president of the country and it was to be decided soon. He was one of the strong contenders for the position, and he went to a wise man known for being able to predict the future and asked if he would win the position. Kéba was told that if he killed a bull and took the meat in 77 parts throughout the city and shared it all with beggars in the streets, he would obtain the position as he desired. But he soon realized that he couldn’t do this because he had kicked out all the beggars from the streets! He desperately went to the place where they were stayed and begged them to come into the streets so he could give them the meat, but they wouldn’t do it. And in the end he did not get the position he so desperately sought. His selfishness had caught up with him and he learned that seeking only his own betterment in the end brought him nothing. And surely it is an important lesson for everyone—all of God’s children are valuable and should be treated with love and kindness no matter what their situation in life. We all need each other.  

                The Savior has taught us that we should indeed care for the poor and all those in need and love everyone around us no matter their station in life. In our dispensation He said this, “And for your salvation I give unto you a commandment, for I have heard your prayers, and the poor have complained before me, and the rich have I made, and all flesh is mine, and I am no respecter of persons…. And let every man esteem his brother as himself, and practice virtue and holiness before me. And again I say unto you, let every man esteem his brother as himself…. And they shall look to the poor and the needy, and administer to their relief that they shall not suffer” (Doctrine and Covenants 38:16,24-25,35). We should esteem all others as ourselves and look to bless and help those who might be in need around us that they don’t suffer. We should not see ourselves as being better than anyone else. He said it this way in another revelation: “Behold, I say unto you, that ye must visit the poor and the needy and administer to their relief, that they may be kept until all things may be done according to my law which ye have received” (Doctrine and Covenants 44:6). We should seek to do as the Savior did while He was in mortality and help those who are in need, even if they are not looked upon favorably by society. He summarized it this way in another verse: “And remember in all things the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted, for he that doeth not these things, the same is not my disciple” (Doctrine and Covenants 52:40). We should remember those who are less fortunate around us and strive to share what we have with them. And we may find that we need them as much as they need us. I know that you do have a desire to help those who are in need and I encourage you to always keep that love and yearning to give to others in your heart. I know that true happiness comes as we seek to really be a disciple of Jesus Christ and look to bless the “poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted” every opportunity that we get. 

Love,

Dad