Value - The Worth of an Individual

“The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.” G. K. Chesterton

"Every man has forgotten who he is.  One may understand the cosmos, but never the ego; the self is more distant than any star.  .. We have all forgotten what we really are. All that we call common sense and rationality and practicality and positivism only means that for certain dead levels of our life we forget that we have forgotten. All that we call spirit and art and ecstasy only means that  for one awful moment we remember that we forget." G. K. Chesterton

D&C 18:10 
The worth of souls is great in the sight of God.

From  Joy B Jones October 2017 Conference address, Value Beyond Measure:

Brigham Young said,  "The least, the most inferior spirit now upon the earth... is worth worlds."

"Before I started investigating the church, I didn't really feel that I was very special. I was just one of many people, and my society and culture didn't really teach me that I had any value as an individual. When I learned the gospel and learned that I was a daughter of our Heavenly Father it changed me. Suddenly I felt so special - God had actually created me and had created my soul and my life with value and purpose." Renu Singh

President Uchtdorf April 2010 Conference said, "We know from modern Revelation that the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. We cannot gauge the worth of another soul any more than we can measure the span of the universe. Every person we meet is a VIP to our Heavenly Father. Once we understand that, we can begin to understand how we should treat our fellow men."

The eternal truth that we are children of Heavenly Parents with the capability to become like them, that we are divine in nature by inheritance, should cause a such great joy. It should fill us with confidence that we can accomplish anything we set our hearts on. It should inspire us to be good and kind and forgiving like they are.

And once we really know that in our hearts it really does - but getting there is a journey for most of us. Why? Why would a Latter-Day saint not know their own value?

I can only speak of my own journey since every person has their own. We live in a world that does not see the value of each person. The Declaration of Independence says all men are created equal but our society and our culture has become a place where people are treated unequally. We are constantly judged. It begins as we attend school and are graded on everything we do. We see it in the way people are paid. We value some professions more and pay them more. And it has nothing to do with goodness and moral or ethical behavior. It has to do with glamour talent or perception.

We don't all have equal opportunity. Too often, majorities rule and minority suffer. Some are masters while others are slaves. Some attend schools where everything imaginable is available to them while others attend schools that have few resources.

We begin to absorb all kinds of messages from such a society. We believe the lies. One says "I am not beautiful" and feel she is less valued while the other says "I am fortunate to be so beautiful" and has learned that beauty is more important than character. Don't we do the same thing with so many areas of life?

• not smart enough
• not athletic
• can't carry a tune
• can't understand math
• can't cook
• can't sew
• can't draw or paint
• always comparing
• always feeling compared
• always wanting to be something we're not so that we might feel valued.

Yet within the Gospel of Jesus Christ lies the truth that allows us to rise above all the messages the world throws at us. We are divine eternal beings with infinite worth. We are equal in the sight of God, our Heavenly Parents. We are here on Earth for just a short time, eternity lies before us. Our divine nature will out at last and we will become beings like our Heavenly Parents.  All the physical limitations of mortality will melt away and we will have access to unlimited opportunities. I am counting on all of that!

Some things must wait, life isn't long, Some dreams must wait to come true. . .

In the meantime, I learn to separate my value from the things I do. I play the piano and am mediocre. My brain and my dexterity limit me but I know no one who enjoys sitting and playing their piano more than I do.

I feel the same about all I do. I am ordinary, a jack of all trades, master of none. But I love the exploration. My photography is nothing outstanding. I have trouble understanding aperture and lighting, the science of the camera. But my camera allows me to explore of world I find beautiful.

And in those things where I find joy, I find myself. I feel valuable to me and that means a lot.

In truth, the times I feel the worst about myself and question my value are times where a deep spiritual wars waging inside - when I am out of integrity with myself. Perhaps it is because we let go of non-essentials as we age. I am more concerned about angry feelings, about my inability to forgive easily, about my tendency to be critical.  My character matters to me. I have to live with myself 24/7. There is no escape. What I think of myself is the most important quest.

I have found my Heavenly Father to be my greatest ally in this inner battle with myself. He is always there – extending love and support, never judging, just urging me on. I know I am valued by Him. I have felt His love. I am precious to him.

If the God who has created the universe, whose power and glory are so immense, could take the time to reach out and let me know His love - how could I not know that I am His beloved daughter? Herein is my value: I am a child of God, of Heavenly Parents who love me.

Check out Greg Olsen's picture "Precious in His Sight". It says it all.

I also love Norman Rockwell's picture “The Problem We All Live With”.  What a statement about the value of one life. . .