Perhaps to assuage his guilt, it was with insolence and arrogance that Cain asked God: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” From Cain’s day to ours, this question is asked again and again. We know the answer because Jesus makes it clear that we do have a responsibility to one another:

“For I was an hungered, 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 hungered, 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 25:36-41

King Benjamin also proclaimed:

“And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives, and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how had ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have, one to another? … for the sake of retaining a remission of your sins from day to day, that ye may walk guiltless before God, I would that ye should impart of your substance to the poor, every man according to that which he hath, such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, and administering to their relief, …” – Mosiah 2:36, 42-43

Huge numbers of the global population are forced to eke out an existence in conditions we can scarcely imagine. I’ve seen it personally. There are no words that can describe their circumstances. Our average annual income is greater than 99% of the rest of the world. Many live on less than $1.25 per day. We do not recognize our prosperity … but when compared to the majority of the world, we are very rich.

The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ and what was done for us at Calvary. That good news should stir us to action. Joseph Smith Jr. lectured that faith is “the first principle in revealed religion, and the foundation of all righteousness” and “the moving cause of all action in them.” We demonstrate our faith through our actions. (James 2:15) Sharing out of our prosperity with those that stand in need is a wonderful expression of our faith – especially when it is done out of our love for our fellow man. Being a member of Christ’s Church requires such demonstrations – not in a legalistic sense but as a natural response to the message of the gospel as it has taken root in our lives.

We cannot ourselves take care of all the needs in the world today but we do have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of 38,000 members of the household of faith in Haiti. They, like we did so many years ago, have stepped out in faith but are now cut off from their primary sources of income and stand in great need. Eighty percent are unemployed.

God can add the increase and multiply our loaves and fishes. There is plenty that we can give up to provide food and drink and clothing to those in need. Latter day revelation encourages us to “carry into active exercise the principle of sacrifice and repression of unnecessary wants; … “ (Section 130:7d) Please give prayerful consideration to the needs of our brothers and sisters in Christ in Haiti. You can make a difference.