THE VALUE OF US

 

We preach extensively in the Church about the worth of a soul. I have read many times the scripture from which this concept originated (D&C 18:10). I understood this on a basic level until this week.

When God the Father showed Enoch His corrupted children that would be swept away in the flood, He wept at the loss (Moses 7:28). Enoch was beyond perplexed when he considered that God would sorrow over a ‘handful’ of His children compared to the immensity of His creations (v 29-31). The Father simply answered that these His children were ‘the workmanship” of His  hands (v 32). The dictionary defines ‘workmanship’ as ‘the product or result of labour and skill, or work executed’.

I pondered on this some years ago and considered the work that went into the making of us such as: 1. our spiritual creation which depended on the Father’s rise to Godhood; 2. Our spiritual tutoring for eons of time; 3. The creation of the earth for our mortality; 4. The overseeing of our earthly tutoring; 5. The preparation of kingdoms for our eternal destination; 6. The redemption of our souls through the sacrifice of another.

I also thought of the scale of guidance, protection, care, anguish and sorrow of our Heavenly Parents, the Holy Ghost, our guardian angels, our ancestors, our departed loved ones and all the hosts of heaven who know us….and not just what others have put into us but what we have put into ourselves….in this life and before we even came here.

I concluded from all my pondering we were like pieces of art from a Master’s touch but I missed one thing. I missed the love.

Yesterday, as I went through another bout of my suffering, into my mind came the Saviour on the cross and I could not help myself exclaiming: How much You must have valued us, sinners and saints, to be willing to go through Your unfathomable suffering! In that moment I understood “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God” (D&C 18:10), not because of all the work that went into us but because I understood our value from the Saviour of the world who claimed: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13).

The core of our value is love, for surely no man could have bled at every pore if there was no love. In that moment I understood my own worth because of the price of my salvation. And I  understood the love. Not just the love of Him who saved me but the love of Him who brought me into existence. Indeed we are children of God who loves us with a perfect love.

I worshipped You in heaven

As my Saviour and my King

I knew Your holy suffering

Would pay for everything.

Now I am here in my mortal frame,

I am amazed at the price You paid

For the value of my name!

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: Salvation by Ron DiCianni)