Worth and Healing

By Nickolas Coons

We moved into our home a few years ago. When moving into a house, there is always something to do, especially when it’s not a new house. One of the biggest and most needed fixes was the front door. Over some 16 odd years the door, which was wood, had been neglected. There were cracks and divots which pockmarked the surface of the door. If you ran your hand over the door, you would risk getting slivers and splinters embedded in your hand. You would also notice the door had been through a rough life. Some of the cracks were so big it was an open question whether the door could even be saved. 

But I loved the door because of its originality and character. It was truly one of a kind. I did not want to lose it for some new but boring metal slab with its cold exterior. I did not question if I was going to keep it or not, because it was the type of door I always desired and treasured. 

Originally there had been a clear coat protecting the door from the world around it. I do believe when it was first created it was a stunning door that could stand strong against the elements. Time passed with the elements slowly battering the door, stripping away the clear coat, then leaving it well-worn and unhealthy. The scars started to open wide, leaving wounds that seemed unrepairable. Those deep wounds were visible to the whole world, crying out that its worth was less than what it was when it was new and untainted by the buffetings of the world. 

The time had come for me to attempt repairing the door. Not having worked much with wood finishing, I resolved to try my best. I used wood filler to fill in the holes and cracks. I sanded the heavily worn surface, smoothing out the rough edges. I carefully removed the door hardware and began to apply a stain, followed by a polyurethane coating to protect the newly applied color from wearing and succumbing to the elements once again. 

I replaced the door hardware, and rehanged the door, its refinished exterior facing out on the street. Over the following day I admired the door more than I previously had, and the following thought entered my head.

Worth

The worth of the door was always the same, from the day it was placed proudly displaying  its grandeur, to when the lacerations of the world warped and distorted its surface. The door still did its job, and the wood within it was still aesthetically pleasing. It protected the families inside from  storms and other weather. Though rough and worn, the worth and value of the door prevailed no matter how weathered it became.

This is akin to our eternal worth. We come into this world “trailing clouds of glory,”, and no matter  what trials of life may beat us down--through all the storms, battered and bruised, our worth is never tarnished, though it may appear that way to those who can only see the surface. Just  as I saw the worth of the door, Our Heavenly Father always sees our true untarnished worth. 

Healing

I spent hours upon hours filling holes, rounding out the rough edges, giving the door new life and showing it the love it desperately needed. I did not smooth out every bump but accepted those imperfections as part of the new and improved door, giving it character. As we walk our path in life, some of us seem to have more difficult hills to climb but, in the end, we all have the  challenges that we need to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. Fear, shame, confusion, neglect resulting from any kind of abuse, violence, or oppression, traps us and wears upon our body and soul. This too can be changed. Christ has done the work; He is a master carpenter working on us. He repairs the dents, heals those deep scars that we never thought we could ever recover from, and unlike my carpentry job, His is perfect and when complete will leave no blemishes. As he smooths out our rough edges, He helps us remember our worth in his eyes is still great. As he applies his healing sacrifice to our newly restored soul, he provides the protection we never knew we were missing. Those new strengths, which were formerly our imperfections, are reminders of his healing grace used in mending our broken hearts. 

Working as a carpenter gave me a glimpse into the Master Carpenter's view of us, of how much we are worth to him. He does not see, nor has He ever seen you as someone less than any other.  "Whatever has happened along your path you are walking, He is not ashamed of you or  disappointed in you. He loves in a way you have yet to discover. And you will discover it…you are  precious in [His] sight."[1] The Healing grace of our Loving God allows us to see our worth and find  His eternal love. 

[1] Elder Patrick Kearon, “He is risen with healing in his wings: We can be more than conquerors” General Conference April 2022