Worth Versus Worthiness

I am having an issue with how Brené Brown uses worthy and how my church uses it. “Am I worthy to have a temple recommend” does not jive with Brené’s definition. She might use “Am I recommended to have a temple recommend” Following use words different than worthy in a Latter-day context. 

- Can I answer all the temple recommend questions affirmatively?

- Am I congruent with the temple recommend questions?

- Am I aligned with the temple recommend questions?

- Am I straight with respect to the temple recommend questions?

- Am I loyal to the temple recommend questions?

- Am I to be trusted that I live the gospel to the extent that I can attend the temple?

- Am I living the gospel to the extent that I can attend the temple?

In contrast, in a Latter-day context what Brené Brown defines as worthiness is closer to being of worth or being deserving or being of value. This song shows our belief of individual worth. "I am of infinite worth" Janice Kapp Perry & Joy Saunders Lundberg, I Walk By Faith (2010)

“if we are continuously repenting and improving, then we are worthy to partake of the sacrament.” (“The Beauty and Importance of the Sacrament,” General Conference, April 1989).

What is the difference between being worthy and having a sense of my individual worth?

“Let me point out the need to differentiate between two critical words: worth and worthiness. They are not the same. Spiritual worth means to value ourselves the way Heavenly Father values us, not as the world values us. Our worth was determined before we ever came to this earth. “God’s love is infinite and it will endure forever.”3

On the other hand, worthiness is achieved through obedience. If we sin, we are less worthy, but we are never worth less! We continue to repent and strive to be like Jesus with our worth intact. As President Brigham Young taught: “The least, the most inferior spirit now upon the earth … is worth worlds.”4 No matter what, we always have worth in the eyes of our Heavenly Father.” ("Value beyond Measure", Joy D. Jones, Oct 2017)

Instead of asking “Am I worthy?”, ask “Am I of worth?”