Everywhere I turn, I see a sign, a t-shirt, a meme, a news report that Black Lives Matter. Yes, everyone has the right to stand up and speak for themselves, and the Black community clearly has reached a point where they feel they have to speak out.

Periodically, women have had their moment where they have had enough and feel the need to stand up and speak for themselves. Even humans speaking out for animals have had their moment. Everyone seems to have this need to stand up and speak out. Not always in defense, interestingly enough, but to be heard and force the issue at hand at whatever cost. Right now, it’s violent rioting and demanding that our police force lose its power to protect us because people think they can’t be trusted.

The honest truth is that all lives matter. Each of our lives matter. Because we are children of God, and He loves and cares about each and every one of us, our lives matter.

Racism and prejudice have always existed on this earth. It’s a human foible, unfortunately. It’s too easy to be “lifted up in pride, even to the persecution of many” (Helaman 3:34). The problem today is that pride comes from all directions and in all forms and colors.

Once, we were having a discussion about prejudice and someone asked if any of us “white, privileged” had ever experienced racism and prejudice in our lives. My sister and I looked at each other and said at the exact same time: “Oh yeah, we’re women, we’re Hispanic, and we’re Latter-day Saints!” We’ve been demeaned at least once because of who we are.

But here is the truth. While mortal beings like to rank people, putting themselves on top, there is no ranking system in the eyes of God. All are His children. He loves each one of us. I frankly wouldn’t blame Him if He liked those who were more obedient to His Son than others, but I don’t really think that plays into His love. He simply loves us all.

Russell M. Nelson spoke, in the October 1989 Sunday afternoon session of conference, to women specifically, and he said something that really applies to all of God’s children, equally. He said:

A woman’s richest rewards will come as she rises to fulfill her destiny as a devoted daughter of God. To all faithful Saints He has promised thrones, kingdoms, principalities, glory, immortality, and eternal lives. (See Rom. 2:7; D&C 75:5; D&C 128:12, 23; D&C 132:19.) That is the potential for women.

And may I add that this is the potential for all of God’s children, if they obey His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. That is the secret to escaping our mortal probation and receiving all those eternal blessings.

But, while we are living in our mortal probation, we are expected to rise above this state, which everyone can do if they follow Jesus Christ. During that same session of conference, Richard G. Scott said,

We are here on earth to gain experience we can obtain in no other way. We are given the opportunity to grow, to develop, and to gain spiritual maturity. To do that, we must learn to apply truth. How we face challenges and resolve difficult problems is crucially important to our happiness.

Our mortal life is not perfect, but it is our proving ground to develop spiritual maturity. I like that! We see so much ugly in this world. What will happen if instead of getting even with those who have hurt us, we instead spend our time developing our spirits and lifting others as we want to be lifted? The result is that we are both lifted up and made better.