21 And when he had said these words, he wept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and blessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them.
(3 Nephi 17:21)
I like the phrase “one by one.” The Savior loved those children individually, not just collectively. He took the time to bless each one of them. As we serve others in His name, we must recognize that the same is true for us. Even if we are teaching a classroom full of people, we are teaching individuals. Even if we are working on a project which will affect many people, the way we treat individual people matters.
In the words of W. Craig Zwick:
His gentle touch and tender words of prayer on behalf of every child surely spoke volumes about His love for each of them and His empathic understanding of each one’s unique personality, experiences, and challenges (More to Your Story, W. Craig Zwick and Jan J. Zwick).
Today, I will reach out to individuals. I will strive to see them as the Lord sees them and to serve them as He would serve them if He were here. I will remember that the worth of a soul is great (D&C 18:10) and that it is a good use of my time to love and to serve my brothers and sisters–one person at a time.