"Less Than the Dust of the Earth"

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.

And yet, we are Children of God, of infinite worth and potential. We have value beyond estimation. So, then, how are we "less than the dust of the earth"?

Helaman 12:8 For behold, the dust of the earth moveth hither and thither, to the dividing asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God.

We are "less than the dust of the earth" because the dust obeys God, and we often don't. We are "less than the dust of the earth" because the dust is willing to "[divide itself] asunder, at the command of our great and everlasting God," and we usually aren't. We are "less than the dust of the earth" because the dust neither exercises nor even has agency, and we do.

We make our own choices. The dust lets God make all its decisions for it. And that's what makes us "less than the dust of the earth."

I'm not buying it. Not for one second.

Agency is important. Agency is so important that we fought a war to keep it. God wants us to exercise our agency. God does not want us to be dust.

Yes, God wants us to obey Him, and it would be wise for us to do so, but God wants it to be our decision. God wants us to choose to follow Him, not because we have no choice, but because we trust that it's the best choice. God wants us to want to follow Him.

God gave us agency. He wants us to use it, and to use it wisely.