February 24, 2005

• When the voice of God calls down from heaven, mountains fall, seas part, and the Earth trembles. Every blade of grass hears the voice of its Master. Every stone moves when its Creator asks it, and when God came to Earth, all elements obeyed Him. Who then is man? Who is this man that when God calls, only some stop to listen. Who is this man, that when God asks, only few move? Who is this man, that doesn’t obey it’s Creator? Who is this man, who crucified its Savior?

  Of all of God’s creations, we are the only ones who do not answer every call or follow every law. Why? Is it because we are worse than even the dust that obeys? Are we the lowest of all creations, doomed from birth? Perhaps. But can we be worthless to He who said, “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? . . . Ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:6-7)? Can we be worthless to He who inspired the words, “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God” (D&C 18:10)? Is the son worthless to the father, the offspring worthless to their parents?

  Surely, then, these people, this man, who disobey and fail must be of great value. Why? Because “we are the offspring [children] of God” (Acts 17:29) “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God” (Romans 8:17). How? We came into this world clean (see D&C 93:38) and innocent, but now we stand condemned by our own actions. How can we live up to our eternal destiny and the divine potential that comes through our parentage? If we are born clean as children of God and of great worth to Him, how can we die clean and of great worth to Him when between birth and death we cause so much heart ache? I believe that we have an elder Brother, even Jesus Christ, who took upon himself the sins of all mankind. I believe that we have a Father who loved us so much that He sent His beloved Son to break the bands of death and to satisfy the laws of justice so that we could be could be made clean again. Surely is was as Nephi of old prophesied, “And the Messiah cometh in the fullness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.” (2 Nephi 2:26) {see also 2 Nephi 1:15}

  I do not believe that men are as worthless as the dust of Earth. I believe than men- that people- are the highest of all of God’s creation. Do we alone not have the agency to choose? Do we alone not have His trust to choose? Are we alone not made in His image?

  I think we should be happy. Look to these early Christians of whom “there were many who died, firmly believing that their souls were redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ; thus they went out of the world rejoicing” (Alma 46:39). If man is the pinnacle of creation, and our bodies are sacred, why not rejoice about it? I believe that we have a divine potential in addition to our divine parentage. I guess I just really like human life. Perhaps there is a bit of a humanist in me. I apologize for the monologue. I was thinking about that question when I woke up this morning- Who is man, the only disobedient one of all God’s creation? I have thought on it all day, hence the soap box. If you have some time and want to do something cool, look up the word “redemtion” in the index of the Book of Mormon (look, I did it for you). You will learn a lot. I was surprised. (it’s also cool to look up “redeem” in the dictionary. The word has an interesting history)

  In other news, by some miracle I was able to finish most of all that I had to accomplish today despite being sick and swamped. Also, tomorrow around midnight my plane will land in Chicago. Yes, that’s right, I’m going home for the weekend. Yippee! (My mom is turning 40 on Friday!)

  • 1:56 am
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