Verse of the day: whoever drinks will be watered. (Proverbs 11:25)
This verse teaches us the important lesson that if we are to receive, we must give; to accumulate it is necessary to spread; to be happy, we must make others happy; and to stay spiritually strong we must seek the spiritual good of others. While we drink for others, we ourselves have no teeth. How? Efforts to be useful bring out our capacities for usefulness. We have latent abilities, evidenced by exercise. Our manpower is hidden even from ourselves, until we venture to fight the Lord’s wars or climb mountains of difficulty. We do not know how warm we are until we try to wipe the widow’s tears or comfort the orphan’s sadness. We have always found that in our efforts to teach others, we obtain instruction for ourselves. What valuable lessons some of us have learned from trying to help others. We went out to teach the scriptures and came back ashamed, grateful to know so little. In our interactions with the poor saints, we learn more fully the way of the Lord and receive a deeper understanding of divine truth. Giving water to others makes us humble. We discover how much grace there is where we had not looked, and how these saints can surpass us in knowledge. Our own comfort is increased by working on behalf of others. We strive to encourage them, and comfort shines in our hearts. Like the two men in the snow? one of them rubbed the limbs of the other who wanted to keep him alive, and by doing so, what he was massaging saved his life. The poor widow of Sarepta offered her meager provision to meet the prophet’s need, and from that day on she did not know what it was like to be in need. Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, repressed, shaken, overwhelmed? (Luke 6:38).