You may feel overwhelmed by your own poverty and the labors of

Henry B. Eyring’s words, “You may feel overwhelmed by your own poverty and the labors of the day. But if you decide not to wait until you have more strength and more money, and if you pray for the Holy Spirit as you go, you will, when you arrive, know what to do and how to help someone even poorer than you are,” shine like a lantern in the night of human struggle. They remind us that one does not need abundance to bless another, nor must we wait for the day when life is easier to begin giving. The true power of service lies not in wealth or surplus, but in the willingness of the heart to act, trusting that God will magnify even the smallest offering.

The origin of this truth flows from the Christian teaching that charity is not measured in the size of the gift but in the spirit of sacrifice. The widow’s mite, spoken of by Christ Himself, was worth more than all the treasures of the rich, because she gave out of her poverty with faith. Eyring’s words are a modern echo of this ancient lesson: you may feel weak, tired, or inadequate, but if you take one step forward in faith, divine help will meet you along the way. In that partnership with God, even your meager strength becomes sufficient to lift another.

History bears witness to this principle. Consider Mother Teresa, who began her ministry not with riches, but with empty hands and a burning desire to serve the poorest of the poor in Calcutta. She had no great treasury to draw upon, no earthly power to command. Yet because she did not wait for more, because she began with what little she had, her compassion multiplied, drawing others to her cause, and her small acts of kindness became a movement that blessed millions. Her life proves that poverty is no barrier to love, and weakness is no barrier to service when sustained by faith.

The lesson also recalls the spirit of early pioneers and missionaries who traveled with little more than faith in their hearts and calluses on their hands. They were not rich; they were weary from the day’s labor. But because they did not wait for more money or comfort before acting, they built communities, healed the sick, taught the unlearned, and gave hope to those poorer still. Their labors were sanctified because they believed that God’s Spirit would guide their steps and give them the wisdom to bless others in ways beyond their natural ability.

Eyring’s words confront the temptation of delay. How often do we tell ourselves, “I will give when I have more,” or “I will help when my life is easier”? Such waiting postpones the good that could be done today, and in the meantime, the poor go hungry, the lonely remain unseen, and the suffering remain without comfort. His teaching reminds us that the call to serve is always now, not later. For in stepping forward, even in weakness, we discover that God multiplies our small offering until it becomes enough.

For those who listen, the counsel is clear: do not wait until your own burdens are gone to lift the burdens of another. Even a word of kindness, a shared meal, a prayer, or a listening ear can be as water to a thirsty soul. Pray as you go, and trust that the Spirit will guide you to know what to do. Your poverty may seem great, but someone else’s poverty is greater, and you may be the one sent to relieve it.

Thus, let this teaching be written upon the hearts of future generations: that strength is not the absence of struggle, but the courage to serve while struggling. Wealth is not the fullness of possessions, but the willingness to share what little we have. And service is not delayed until all is well, but begun in the very midst of our labors. For when we give in our weakness, heaven itself makes our gift strong, and through us, others are lifted into the light.