A person may have no friends, family, home or possessions, or may be completely enslaved by the destroying addictions of the world. This person could feel or appear to others to be worthless. At times because of our actions and circumstances, we can all feel worthless. That is not how our Heavenly Father and Beloved Savior Jesus Christ view us!
The Touch of the Master’s Hand
I have always been inspired by the poem “The Touch of the Master’s Hand”. It carries a great message.
’Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile:
“What am I bidden, good folks,” he cried,
“Who’ll start the bidding for me?”
“A dollar, a dollar”; then, “Two!” “Only two?
Two dollars, and who’ll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three—” But no,
From the room, far back, a gray-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said, “What am I bid for the old violin?”
And he held it up with the bow.
“A thousand dollars, and who’ll make it two?
Two thousand! And who’ll make it three?
Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice,
And going, and gone!” said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
“We do not quite understand
What changed its worth.” Swift came the reply:
“The touch of a master’s hand.”
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A “mess of pottage,” a glass of wine,
A game—and he travels on.
He’s “going” once, and “going” twice,
He’s “going” and almost “gone.”
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that’s wrought
By the touch of the Master’s hand (Myra Brooks Welch, “The Touch of the Master’s Hand,” The Gospel Messenger, Brethren Press, 26 Feb. 1921.)
We all Make Mistakes.
“if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8 in the Bible). But the Savior makes a great promise to us.
“Behold, he who has repented of his sins, the same is forgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.” (Hebrew 8:12 and 10: 17 in the Bible)
The Lord has said, “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God;… And how great is His joy in the soul that repenteth!” (Doctrine & Covenants 18: 10, 13)
We each have a Spark of Divinity
Each of us have a spark of divinity in us as sons and daughters of God! What a marvelous truth! “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ…” (Romans 8: 16-17 in the Bible)