The Worth of Souls

"He's a worthless human being!" I said about my brother, but I immediately felt awful.  I knew it was wrong, that everyone was worth something, but didn’t understand why -- until now.

The other day I was worrying about problems in my business.  I considered that if I couldn’t make money nobody would want me.  My wife and children would be disappointed and reject me.  As if a light went on, I suddenly understood that it didn’t matter -- I have intrinsic value.  I'm worth something no matter what; in fact, I'm worth more than the entire world.  Nothing of the world has value; it is only worth what a person is willing to give in exchange for it.  If nobody wants gold, it's worthless.  If nobody wants a home, it has no value at all.  But as for me, I have value no matter what!  Whether I produce, or not, I have value.  It doesn't matter what I can do.  It doesn't matter what I know.  It doesn't matter what I have.  Even if the whole world rejects me, I'm still worth more than everything because God paid an infinite price for me.

I have always valued my life based on what I could do, produce, know, or possess.  Wealth or knowledge made me highly valuable.  I needed a talent that I could sell or trade to indicate my value.  My worth could only come from the world since I could only have value in the eyes of men.  I grew up this way, I was taught that my value comes from being desirable to others.   I was like money -- if I wasn’t valued by others, then I lost my worth. 

Money is the medium of exchange in our world.  We use money to trade our talents with others.  Rather than having to wait for the baker to get sick before I could exchange a medical visit for a loaf of bread, I could just see the plumber, who would give me money because I didn't need any plumbing, and then I could use the money with the baker, who could then trade it with the plumber.  It's a beautiful system.  Money, though, like everything else in the world, has no intrinsic value.  If nobody wants it, it's worthless.  For example, I brought some Bolivares home from Venezuela, which were perfectly useful for buying fresh bread at the panaderia when I was there, but nobody would accept them; they were worthless in the United States.

When our value comes from the world we naturally worship (seek, desire) money.  Most people see their value in money.  Our lives depend on it so we need more of it in order to be "safe and secure."  We build our money temples (banks) out of granite so people will get the feeling that it is permanent, and secure.  Security comes from our value in dollars.  People want to win the lottery to pretend they have millions of dollars of talent or value that they have traded and saved.  It's a lie.  When our value comes from the world we want to live a lie.  We want to appear to have talents that are valued by others.  People cheat, lie, steal, and find any way to increase their apparent value.  People want to appear to be wealthy, young, and desirable (sexy) because their value comes from what others think of them.  Their time and efforts are spent maintaining that appearance, which is one form of worship.

However, when we worship the Lord, we have intrinsic value.  The beggar in the street has the same value as the CEO of a big corporation.  The housewife has the same value as the president of a country.  Value is measured differently by God because it is measured by what He gave for each to be saved -- saved from death and suffering so each can have Eternal Life.  He said, "Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.  And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance.  And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!  (D&C 18:10-13)  I notice that he says, “all men” and not just some.  Rich or poor, bond or free, male or female, all are invited because all have the same infinite value.

In my heart, I finally understand that I am valuable.  The Creator of Heaven and Earth suffered and died so that I could live.  I have been bought with a hefty price -- more than all the riches of the world.  He paid the price for me to live, laugh, love, and find joy.  Blessed be His holy name!  I will worship Him, instead of the opinions of the world, or money, because I have real value to Him.