A Thought on Value

In my family, we occasionally enjoy watching a television program showing old, unusual or rare items being brought before appraisers who explain the history, significance, and monetary value of the items.

Many times, I've been puzzled by the appraisals of items that, to me, are not desirable, or are even ugly.

Artwork which derives its value from its beauty, or its historical provenance is easy to understand.

Less understandable to me are those items that are worth enormous sums of money simply by their origin.

Early or practice sketches of famous modern artists have brought some of the highest prices, which to me hold very little value, being similar to the drawings within the reach of young children learning to draw.

Many of these valuable but ugly items are costly only because of who created them.

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You were created by God.

No matter what you look like or what you think of yourself, you are valuable, just because of who your Maker is.

You have been bought with a price—a very high price. Don’t let the world get you down. (1 Corinthians 6: 20; 7: 23)

“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.”

Doc. & Cov. 18: 10-11

Your worth is infinite!*

Interestingly (perhaps ironically, though appropriately), as of this writing, the highest price paid for a painting was for this, of Salvator Mundi (The Savior of the World) by Leonardo da Vinci. It sold at auction in 2017 for $450.3 million.

See also:

The Banach–Tarski Paradox, YouTube video by Vsauce

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*Two primary points supporting this idea:

1. The Savior’s infinite atonement. (2 Nephi 9: 1-26; Alma 34: 8-18)

What’s infinity divided by ten?

Infinity.

Divided by a million?

Infinity.

Divided by trillions upon trillions?

Infinity.

Jesus completed an infinite atoning sacrifice, on behalf of all mankind. Since each beneficiary can claim some definite portion of such a sacrifice, equal to the proportion of humanity comprising their individual part of the whole, the Savior therefore paid an infinite price for each individual soul. This is truly awful to consider.

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2. Exaltation offering the opportunity for giving birth to endless generations of future posterity, each of whom have the potential for exaltation themselves.

Bringing to pass the plan of salvation for a new generation of God's great family (His grandchildren) opens expansive opportunities for increase, difficult to contemplate.

Thus, each human soul is like a seed which is capable of giving rise to an innumerable host, each of which is a new seed.