sunday inspiration [worth]

Ever seen Antiques Roadshow? Pretty fun show. And by that I mean I might have been a weird child and enjoyed it a lot, but I also woke up at 5 in the morning to watch Bob Ross paint pictures so the truth is many shows I consider "pretty fun" really aren't that fun.

Anyway. We were talking about this in a class of mine the other day. What determines the value of an object people bring in? They take into account things like damages, they compare it to other similar items, they consider how rare it is, and more. Yet in the end, what is it that ultimately determines its value? What someone is willing to pay for it.

Consider then, the price that has been paid for you.

In the end it doesn't really matter how rare you are or how you stack up to others or how much you've been damaged, does it? For all of us - each and every one, and that means you - Christ was willing to pay the ultimate price and offer up his life. God was willing to sacrifice His firstborn son in order to save you, because you're worth it.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son" (John 3:16)

Allow me some elaboration?

"For God so loved [you] that he gave his only begotten son."

It's true, you know. He does love you. Another scripture, and this time I'm going to plunge ahead with the interpretation:

"Remember the worth of [your soul] is great in the sight of God. For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered . . . pain [for you] . . . that [you] might repent and come unto him." (D&C 18:10-11)

We often look at that scripture through a missionary lens, which is awesome, but maybe we don't apply it to ourselves as often as we should. Because it still applies to us.

And this whole discussion in my class that started with Antiques Roadshow made me think about the atonement. Because even though I know we needed it for our salvation because we're imperfect beings, maybe one of the things we can really gain from this is that we were worth it. That the excruciating pain Christ went through was to show you how much he loves you, and how high a value he places on your soul.

So next time you're explaining to someone how much God loves them and how incredibly valued their soul is and what an incredible price was paid for it, I hope you remember the same is just as true for you.