Less Than the Dust

One of the messages from King Benjamin that might seem discouraging at first is his description of our nothingness before God.  He said, “And now I ask, can ye say aught of yourselves? I answer you, Nay. Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you. And I, even I, whom ye call your king, am no better than ye yourselves are; for I am also of the dust.”  We are nothing compared to our great Creator.  King Benjamin continued, “There are not any among you… but what knoweth that ye are eternally indebted to your heavenly Father, to render to him all that you have and are; and (Mosiah 2:25-26,34).  Other scriptures confirm this idea that we have nothing of ourselves that we can boast of.  Aaron expounded to the Lamanites that “since man had fallen he could not merit anything of himself” (Alma 22:14).  Mormon lamented, “O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth” (Helaman 12:7).  And Moses, after an incredible encounter with God, exclaimed, “Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed” (Moses 1:10).  In comparison with God, he realized his nothingness and that he was inconsequential considering the vast works of the Almighty throughout the universe.
               So why do the scriptures emphasize this?  Why would our Father in Heaven want us to know that we are less than the dust of the earth?  I don’t believe that these scriptures were meant to tell us that we are worthless; we know to the contrary from modern revelation that “the worth of souls is great in the sight of God” (Doctrine and Covenants 18:10).  Rather, perhaps what is important for us to understand is our complete dependence of God and our need to trust in Him and turn to Him and rely on Him in all things.  King Benjamin didn’t tell his people of their nothingness to beat them down but instead to lift them up by turning them to the Lord.  In fact, our only path to true happiness is by humility.  When we can truly get over ourselves, see that we are eternally indebted to the Lord, that we can merit nothing of ourselves and depend on Him for everything, then is the time that we can put off our pride and receive His grace.  Mormon spoke of the joy of Ammon after his mission and said, “Now was not this exceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of happiness” (Alma 27:18).  True lasting joy can only come through humility.  King Benjamin taught of their humble state before God in order to help them obtain happiness from the right place; understanding that we are eternally indebted before God can help us to realize our need to obey His commandments and live the life He wants us to.  And that’s what brings happiness as he taught: “And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness” (Mosiah 2:41).  Understanding and accepting our lowly state before God doesn’t depress us; rather it motivates us to seek happiness through Him and not in some other way.  When we truly understand that we can’t merit anything of ourselves, then we can “rely wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save” (2 Nephi 31:19).