Ensign

I just came across a good article in the March 2009 Ensign. It is called "Becoming Self-Reliant Spiritually and Physically." There is a quote in there that I thought was pretty good...

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994) said: "The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature."

When I read this quote, I immediately thought about Oprah and all the good acts of service she does... like giving people new cars, new houses, or new makeovers. I'm not saying that Oprah is wrong for doing these things but I realized that Christ takes it a step further and gives people a different and new lesson. If they work really hard and figure out a way to make themselves more self-reliant, they will enjoy their new environment but also gain the experience and learned their own lessons that Christ wanted them to learn. I think in the long run, I would rather go Christ's way then have someone give me something for free and not realize the work I would have put into getting it.

Is there something else I'm missing from this quote from President Benson? What are your insights?