source: JW.ORG
AWAKE! NOVEMBER 2013
Our values influence our priorities in life, relationships with others, and the moral guidance we give our children. Consider four Bible-based values that can enrich our lives.
Christina could not believe her eyes! She had just found a black plastic bag containing a very large sum of money
What are values? They are moral or ethical
principles that we view as good and important. They might include
forgiveness, honesty, liberty, love, respect for life, and self-control.
Our values, therefore, influence our behavior, priorities, and
relationships, as well as the moral guidance we give to our children.
Despite their importance, however, moral values are in decline.
AN EROSION OF VALUES
In 2008, researchers in the United States
interviewed hundreds of young adults about their views on moral values.
“What’s disheartening is how bad they are at thinking and talking about
moral issues,” said David Brooks in The New York Times. Most
felt that rape and murder were wrong, but “aside from those extreme
cases, moral thinking didn’t enter the picture, even when [they were]
considering things like drunken driving, cheating in school or cheating
on a partner.” As one young person put it, “I don’t really deal with
right and wrong that often.” Many viewed the matter this way: ‘If it feels right, do it. Go with your heart.’ Is that thinking wise?
The human heart, while capable of great love and compassion, can also be ‘treacherous and desperate.’ (Jeremiah 17:9) This sad reality is reflected in the world’s changing moral landscape
Those realities should move us to question our own
heart, not blindly trust it! Indeed, the Bible frankly states: “He that
is trusting in his own heart is stupid.” (Proverbs 28:26)
Like a compass, our heart needs to be calibrated with sound values if
it is to serve us well. Where can we find such values? Many look to the
Bible itself, appreciating both its wisdom and its candor.
VALUES WE CAN TRUST!
Bible values give evidence that they were tailor-made for humankind. Consider just a few examples
Love for others.
“If you have learned to love, then happiness will surely knock on your door,” says the book Engineering Happiness
What the Bible says: “Clothe yourselves with love, for it is a perfect bond of union.” (Colossians 3:14) The same Bible writer also said: “If I . . . do not have love, I am nothing.”
That love is neither sexual nor purely
sentimental; it is governed by principle. It is the kind of love that
moves us to help a stranger in difficulty, with no thought of a reward.
At 1 Corinthians 13:4-7,
we read: “Love is long-suffering and kind. [It] is not jealous, it does
not brag, does not get puffed up, does not behave indecently, does not
look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep
account of the injury. It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but
rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, . . . endures all things.”
When families lack such love, everybody suffers,
especially children. A woman named Monica wrote that as a child, she
endured physical, emotional, and sexual abuse. “I was unloved and
without any hope,” she said. Then, when she was 15 years of age, she
moved in with her grandparents who are Jehovah’s Witnesses.
“In the two years I lived with them,” said
Monica, “they taught this shy girl to be outgoing and loving and to care
for others. They helped me to become a respectable
young woman.” Now, happily married, Monica along with her husband and
three children shows love to others by sharing the Bible’s message with
them.
A particularly subtle enemy of love is materialism
Kindness and generosity.
“Wouldn’t it be great if you could walk into a
store and buy lifelong happiness?” said an article in the United States
by The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California,
Berkeley. “The idea’s not as fanciful as it sounds
What the Bible says: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”
Often, the best form of giving
“My husband is on his way,” the woman said.
“Well, I’m glad you are OK,” replied Karen. “I’m going to do some gardening at my Kingdom Hall, or church.”
“Are you one of Jehovah’s Witnesses?” the woman asked.
“Yes,” said Karen, and a brief conversation ensued.
A few weeks later, Karen received a letter in
the mail. In part, it read: “My mother and I haven’t forgotten your
wonderful deed. We made our flights, thanks to you! My sister said that
you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, which explains everything. My mom is
a Witness, and I’m an inactive one. But I’m going to work on that soon!” Karen was elated that she had been able to help two fellow believers. “I cried,” she said.
Author Charles D. Warner wrote: “It is one of the beautiful compensations of . . . life
that no one can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”
That is so because God did not create humans to be selfish but, rather,
to reflect his own precious qualities.
Honesty.
This ethical value is fundamental to any civilized society. Dishonesty fosters fear, mistrust, and social decay.
What the Bible says: “Who will be a guest in [God’s] tent?” The answer? “He who is walking faultlessly and . . . speaking the truth in his heart.” (Psalm 15:1, 2)
Yes, genuine honesty, like the other qualities we have considered, is a
personality trait. It is not governed by circumstances or expediency.
Recall Christina who found the bag of money?
Well, her heart’s desire was, not to gain wealth, but to please God. So
when the anxious owner returned, she told him that his money had been
found. He was amazed at her honesty. So was her employer, for he later
promoted Christina to general storekeeper, a position of considerable
trust. How true are the words at 1 Peter 3:10: “He that would love life and see good days, let him restrain his . . . lips from speaking deception.”
“WALK IN THE WAY OF GOOD PEOPLE”
The moral values found in the Bible reflect our
Creator’s deep love for us, for those values enable us to “walk in the
way of good people.” (Proverbs 2:20; Isaiah 48:17, 18)
When we follow that guidance, we, in turn, show our love for God and
reap many rewards. In fact, the Bible makes this promise: “Keep [God’s]
way, and he will exalt you to take possession of the earth. When the
wicked ones are cut off, you will see it.”
Yes, what a wonderful future awaits those who adhere to Bible standards
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