Dust of the Earth

Mosiah 2:25  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;

 Everybody wants a purpose

My wife and I were talking recently about what it means to fulfill the purpose of our life.  We talked about how some people find the purpose of life in religion.  Others in civic duty or political office.  Some in their profession.   Others in a hobby.  The list really could extend on for quite a distance.  
However, as we spoke, it made me wonder: Why is it that so many people feel that there is a purpose to life?  I have met a few folks in my journeys who proclaim that they don't believe there is a purpose.  They may profess as much, however I have never met a person who didn't live in such a way so as to indicate that to some degree they feel that they are fulfilling some purpose or obligation to something.  That's not to say that people who live completely without purpose doesn't exist; but just that I haven't met them, yet.  
I surmise this from the detailed actions taken by people that I have observed or recollected in my mind.  In my opinion, a person without a purpose would necessarily be a complete sociopath, and perhaps it's my naivete but I have met some who have been clinically labeled as having sociopathic behaviors.  Yet, even those who I know with conditions that fall in that category still act in at least small degrees towards some form of what they see as a greater collective purpose for society in general.  Never have I met someone completely devoid of this. 

Does everything posses a sense of purpose?

As the conversation continued my mind wandered into a consideration of non-human's.  As I considered both domesticated and wild animals it was apparent in my mind that all things act in faith to some sense of purpose in what they do in their life in this mortal sphere.  All animals seek to breed and protect what they see as their preferable genes in contrast to the inferior genes of their opponents.  Even to the laying down their lives for their offspring, animals are given this inherent purpose for the existence of their life and they are loyal to it, almost to a fault.  

So what about trees?  Rocks?  Earth?  These are harder to observe and measure, but for me there is no difficulty in imagining that even inanimate objects have a sense of purpose.  I realize that there is no discernible proof for such a statement, but even if it's only in my imagination, I can believe it.  


If trees could talk

If you can imagine it, then I invite you to do so.  I invite you to imagine: what do trees feel?  What would a tree want to accomplish?  What would a rock want to accomplish?  What would dust want to accomplish?

In stories like Daniel and the Lion's den, (see Daniel 6) there seems to me to be a recognition among animals when the presence of God is in their midst.  I do not believe that God just waved a magical wand and made the lions friendly for Daniel's sake.  I believe that the lions sensed the presence of God with Daniel when he descended in to their lair.  I believe that they had a sense of obligation to protect this being as a result of the Presence that was with him.  

I believe that animals are naturally much more in tune with God's will for them, than are we.  And if this is true with animals, then why not inanimate objects?  Despite our inability to detect very much from them, do we not have the example from plants like the pre-budded, young sunflowers which testify to us of God's beauty by turning throughout each day to face the sun?  Is there not accounts of rocks splitting apart when our Savior died? (See Matt 27:50-51)  Enoch testified of hearing the Earth groan because of the sins of men. (See Moses 7:45)
If you accept that these are or could be true events, and testimonies by nature of God and His power, then I ask you to consider, what is man's place in all of this?  

For dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return

In the account found in Genesis, The Lord tells Adam that he was made of dust, and that his body would return to dust.  
If God saw fit to make man of the dust, does that then inform us of our purpose?
If dust had a purpose what would it be?  If dust were able to talk, what would she declare her purpose to be?  How would dust judge the measure or worth of her existence?
Would it not be found in what or perhaps who she upholds?  She supports, sustains, upholds people and things; then wouldn't that be how dust would judge herself?  
Man was made of dust.  King Benjamin says that we are not only made of the dust of the earth, but also that we are not even as the dust of the earth.  Meaning we are lower than it.  
Why does King Benjamin insist on insulting us?

Mormon says, "Helaman 12:7 O how great is the nothingness of the children of men; yea, even they are less than the dust of the earth.  8 For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God."  So he agrees with King Benjamin because the dust of the earth fulfills all of the commands of God, even as God commands.  Yet men are given their own will to choose.  Therefore, in the very day that they are given a gift of eternal life they would rather choose to disobey. 

Why I believe we should look to dust for our purpose

In Ether chapter 12 we find a dialogue between Moroni and God.  Moroni declares that by the Faith of his fathers, God gave a promise that the writings contained in the Book of Mormon would one day come from the Gentiles unto the descendants of the Lamanites and Nephites.  Moroni then declares he was commanded by God to maintain the record for this reason.  

However, because of his charity towards us as Gentiles, Moroni prays for us realizing the obvious reasons that the Gentiles will have to mock the record when it comes forth.  It is here where God states that, "Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek,"  

This teaching seems to be connected to what the Savior taught in His mortal ministry that, whosoever exalteth himself, shall be abased.  And he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.  (see Luke 14:11) 

The Lord goes on to tell Moroni that, "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me."  (See Ether 12:27)

From this I declare that God wants us to be humble.  He wants us to be abased.  This because, it is only through our coming down into the depths of humility that we do see our true position before God, as beggars to God.  As no better than the dust of the earth. 

In this we see that our position is to uphold and lift others.  If you want to know the mission or purpose for your life, that God has sent you here to accomplish, then look no further than the dirt beneath your feet.  For this is the same position that all of us are in.  Dust beneath the feet of a merciful God.  

For this reason, I believe the Savior could truly teach that, "he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.  For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as He that serveth."  

In all things He was our perfect example, and in this teaching He did not fail. 

The Book of Mormon's teachings

This teaching is evident in the example and teachings of our Savior.  However, the Book of Mormon time and time again draws out this most sublime principle of one who desires to follow in the pathway of our Lord.  It is the teaching of charity.  It is the teaching of forgiveness.  It is the teaching of redemption.  To get, we must give.  What we give was a gift anyway, and is not our own.  
I believe King Benjamin and Mormon in declaring: We really are not any better than the dust of the earth, yea we are not even as the dust of the earth.  
I believe that life is more fulfilling when we set our life's purpose to allow ourselves to be walked on by the ignorant, the ungrateful, the abusive.  When we take the trampling and return it with upholding and loving them; then we are best fulfilling our mission on earth.  As Alma declares (see Alma 42:30) I pray that these words shall bring you down into the dust in humility.