Original Value

Lesson Objective: Understand that we give value to God’s creation through our appreciation.

Divine Principle Reading:

How is a being’s original created value determined? The value of an entity may be determined by the relationship between its purpose of existence and the desire that a human being has for it. To be more precise, the value of an entity intended at its creation is not fixed as an inherent attribute. Rather, it is established through the mutual relationship between the purpose of the entity according to God’s ideal of creation, and people’s original desire to treasure it and bring out it’s true worth. It finds its true value when it participates as an object partner in a God-centered four position foundation by relating with a person through give and take action and by their union becoming the third object partner to God.

What sets the standard by which the original value of an entity is determined? Since its original value is determined when it participates in a four position foundation, and since the center of this four position foundation is God, it is God who sets the standard for its value. Since God is absolute, the original value of an object partner determined in relation to this standard set by God must also be absolute.

Activity: Give Value

1. Explain:

• The value of an entity is fulfilled when we appreciate it.
• God invests into the value of all of creation, but we are the ones who bring its value into completion.
• Imagine that you put a lot of time and effort into a gift for someone. What would happen if they didn’t notice or were indifferent to your gift? Do you feel it has less value?

2. Take time to practice gratitude together:

• Tape large pieces of paper on the wall and write one of the following words at the top of each paper: Family, Friends, Nature & Animals, and Experiences.
• Play reflective music and ask the youth to walk around and think about what they are grateful for. When they are ready, have them write down what aspects of each topic they are grateful for on the appropriate paper on the wall.
• Examples: “My Mom: for never giving up on me”, “Mountains: because they inspire me to challenge myself”, or “Snowboarding: because it makes me feel alive”.
• Allow a few minutes for everyone to walk around and read what others have written.

3. Discuss: The result of appreciation of others is joy.

• Share an experience in which your appreciation of someone else made them happy.
• What did you do to appreciate them?
• How did they respond?
• Share an experience in which you felt really appreciated by someone else.
• What did they do to make you feel appreciated?
• How do you feel as a result of that appreciation?

4. Explain: Created beings feel fulfilled and joyful when they are appreciated.

5. Appreciate each other:

• Put the names of each of your youth on a piece of paper and place all the names in a bowl.
• Have each person pick a name out of the bowl.
• Ask each person to sincerely appreciate something about the person they have picked out of the bowl.
• Rhetorical question: How does everyone feel now? (Appreciated & Happy!)

Concluding Point: God invested so much into all of creation, but creation needs us to appreciate it so that it can fulfill its greatest value and feel the greatest joy.