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Is not a soul at this time as precious unto God?

Alma 39:17

 

 

As Alma counseled his wayward son, Corianton, he realized that Corianton did not believe that so much information could be known about the plan of salvation before Christ’s coming. In response to this concern, Alma asked, “Is not a soul at this time as precious unto God as a soul will be at the time of his coming?” (Alma 39:17). In other words, “Why wouldn’t God reveal things far in advance? Souls today are just as precious as those in the future.” Today, people ask similar questions in reverse: “Why would Christ walk among the people in ancient Israel and ancient America and perform miracles for them and not walk among us and perform miracles for us?” In other words, is not a soul at this time as precious unto God as a soul who lived when Christ was on the earth?

Each of us is precious to God—and we should treat each other that way. Sometimes the people in our lives can frustrate us. At times it may be a spouse, a child, a coworker, or the clerk at the grocery store (do you always seem to pick the slowest line, too?). It’s easy to lose our patience and not see people as souls who are precious to God. Perhaps we are in such a rush that we start to view other people as obstacles in the way of our important objectives, when actually our most important objective should be to care for these people. When we see others for the precious souls they truly are, that perspective can change the way we act.

Sister Chieko Okazaki wrote, “Usually we get up in the morning and define our lives by tasks. . . . Now, lists are important. I have long lists myself. But I want you to think about it in a different way. . . . Our real job is to be fully present to whomever we are with while we are doing the task. . . . Perhaps you have to go to the store. Then your job is to be a pleasant presence on the street with the other drivers, to greet the clerk at the store with a smile, and to thank the person at the check-out stand sincerely. You can minister to these people while you are carrying out a task of administration.”¹

Given how busy we are, reaching out to others is not easy—even for the best of us. Consider this experience told by Elder Robert D. Hales:

“I recall one occasion when I exchanged greetings at work with a colleague. ‘How are you?’ she asked.

“‘Fine,’ I replied automatically. ‘How are you?’

“‘I’m not so good,’ she replied. ‘My mother just died.’

“I’m embarrassed to admit that I was already thinking ahead to my busy day, so her reply just rolled over me, and I continued walking toward my office.

“But my friend stopped me and asked, ‘Did you hear what I just said? My mother died, and you were the one person here I thought I could talk to about it.’

“This woman was not a member of the Church, but she knew enough about me and my beliefs to know that I might be able to help her in her time of grief. Yet I had been so consumed with my own concerns that I had not listened. I would have missed the chance to comfort and lift this friend altogether if she had not persisted.”²

Perhaps one place where it can be difficult at times to see people as precious souls instead of as obstacles is in our homes with our children.

John remembers:

“My wife and I had put the children to bed early in anticipation of some adult couples coming to our home for a game night. Our oldest child, however, was not cooperating. He insisted on coming to the party. I reasoned with him, explained to him, and even attempted to bribe him—all to no avail. I felt frustrated. This six-year-old boy was standing between me and an enjoyable evening with my wife and our friends.

“We were at a total standoff when I looked differently at my son. I realized his soul was precious. As I saw my son sitting dejectedly in his bed, something happened inside of me. I asked myself, ‘What is he feeling? How am I contributing to this feeling? What could I have done to prevent it? How can I help?’ I gave him a hug. We continued to talk—our positions had not changed, but my feelings of love for him had changed. Our conversation took a different tone and we were able to work out a solution that both of us felt good about.”

The next time people annoy us or we hardly notice them because we are busy texting, we must stop and look at them differently. See them for who they really are—souls that are precious to God. It will change the way we feel and change the way we act.

For some of us, it is difficult to recognize that our own souls are precious. Some may look at others and feel that those people are great, worthwhile individuals, but they themselves are not.

John describes one encounter he had:

“I remember talking with a college freshman at Brigham Young University. She was bright and capable but utterly miserable. She criticized herself constantly and felt she was not measuring up to everything she expected of herself. She said that her roommate was more popular than she was and went on more dates than she did. Others in her major danced better than she could and got better grades than she did. She struggled with health challenges that others did not face. ‘Why am I so stupid?’ she asked. ‘Why am I just a piece of broken-down garbage?’ My heart hurt for her, not only because she couldn’t see the wonderful things she was doing and the wonderful person she was becoming but mostly because she couldn’t see how precious her soul was to God. Sometimes we treat ourselves worse than we would ever dream of treating others.”

When we begin to feel downcast, we can take to heart these words from Elder M. Russell Ballard. Speaking specifically to women—although his words can be applied to men as well—he said, “We believe in you. We believe in and are counting on your goodness and your strength, your propensity for virtue and valor, your kindness and courage, your strength and resilience. We believe in your mission as women of God. We realize that you are the emotional (and sometimes spiritual) glue that holds families and often ward families together. We believe that the Church simply will not accomplish what it must without your faith and faithfulness, your innate tendency to put the well-being of others ahead of your own, and your spiritual strength and tenacity. And we believe that God’s plan is for you to become queens and to receive the highest blessings any woman can receive in time or eternity.”³

When you start to feel discouraged, when you are tempted to think that you are just a “piece of broken-down garbage,” remember your soul is precious to God. He is aware of your intellect, your talents, your achievements—both public and private. He wants you to feel that you are of value, that you are of worth, that you have your own unique contribution to make in this world. You are precious to Him, simply because you are His.

 

 

Is not a soul at this time as precious unto God?

 

Notes

^1. Okazaki, Stars (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2004), 54–55.

^2. Hales, Return: Four Phases of Our Mortal Journey Home (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2010), 271.

^3. Ballard, “Here Am I, Send Me,” Brigham Young University devotional address, March 13, 2001; available at http://speeches.byu.edu.