III. Developing Our Values

Discovering What Is Worth Pursuing Throughout Life

Once we understand the source of life and to whom we belong, we need to ask further: What is worth pursuing? How should I make judgements when needs conflict? Our values are revealed in our choices, and they need continual correction through God’s word.

Decisions about work and family, conflicts between personal gain and integrity, and tensions between our own comfort and others’ needs cannot all be resolved by a single simple rule. We need to discern the moral responsibilities that are already clear, while seeking wisdom in arrangements that allow for discussion.

1. The Centre of Our Values Is Love for God and Others

Jesus taught that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and that the second is to love our neighbours as ourselves. These two commandments sum up the teaching of the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:37–40). He shows us that a life pleasing to God is centred on love for Him and for others.

First John 4:19 teaches that we love because God first loved us. Love is therefore more than a moral task we are required to perform; it is also a response to receiving God’s grace. The more we recognise the mercy we have received, the more we need to learn to treat others with mercy.

Receiving God’s love also teaches us to love God and others in practical ways: to fear God, deal honestly with people, uphold justice, and treat others with mercy, forgiveness, and faithfulness. Love for God cannot justify treating people as unimportant, and love for others must not lead us to disregard the truth God has revealed.

In family conflict, love may mean listening patiently, and it may also mean clearly identifying harm. At work, love includes serving responsibly and refusing to deceive. Acts of love need to be guided by truth; they cannot simply be equated with pleasing the other person.

Love for God and others also helps us address conflicting responsibilities. We cannot continually neglect family members who need care in order to attend more church activities. Nor can we justify dishonest working practices by saying that we are providing for our families. Many arrangements can be discussed, but honesty, justice, and concern for others must remain responsibilities we take seriously within those arrangements.

2. Character Matters More Than Image

When God sent Samuel to anoint David, He explained that people look at outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). This passage concerns, first of all, God’s choice of David. It also reminds us that visible qualities are not enough to reveal a person’s life before God.

Education, position, ability, appearance, and influence can serve practical purposes, but they cannot replace honesty and faithfulness. Joseph’s refusal to yield to temptation (Genesis 39:7–12) and Daniel’s faithfulness to God in a foreign land (Daniel 6:4–10) both remind us that evaluating our conduct requires more than asking, “Will anyone find out?” We also need to ask, “Does this go against God’s will? Does it harm others?”

Character, however, means more than holding firmly to what we believe. We may be sincere yet mistaken in our judgements, or appear resolute yet refuse correction. Good character needs to be shaped by God’s truth. When we discover that we are wrong, we need to acknowledge it, repent, and make changes.

Alongside considering how others see us, we can therefore examine the details of our lives: Does our private life correspond to what we express publicly? Are we honest when personal interests are at stake? Are we willing to listen when others offer counsel? Such reflection helps us see whether the values we cherish have become part of our everyday lives.

Character is also revealed in how we treat different people. We may be very courteous to those with power, yet lose patience with people who cannot benefit us. We may appear humble and gentle in public, yet give free rein to anger at home. As our values are renewed, we become willing to examine these differences, learn to treat people with equal respect, and take seriously the need to correct our conduct.

3. People Matter More Than Tasks and Faithfulness More Than Prominence

Jesus saw a poor widow put in two small coins and pointed out that she had given what she needed to live on (Mark 12:41–44). The visible amount does not fully express the weight of a person’s sacrifice. We cannot assess someone’s giving solely by quantity, scale, or influence.

Respecting this widow’s sacrifice also requires attention to the context: Jesus had just rebuked the scribes who devoured widows’ houses (Mark 12:38–40). We must not use this account to pressure people in poverty to give away all they need to live on. Respect for people’s giving must include a serious commitment to protecting those in need.

Ruth stayed with Naomi through hardship and took on everyday responsibilities. Without a prominent position, she lived faithfully in particular relationships. Later, she became part of the family line of David and Christ (Ruth 4:13–22; Matthew 1:5). Scripture shows us the significance of ordinary life, but it does not promise that every quiet act of service will receive public recognition in this life.

Caring for parents, accompanying people through difficulties, and doing our work honestly can all be ways of living a meaningful life. Respecting these responsibilities also helps us notice people who are easily overlooked, without judging their contribution by how visible their work is.

“People matter more than tasks” means that we must not treat people as expendable tools for achieving goals. It also requires us to care for those who have been hurt and take responsibility for the consequences of our mistakes, rather than using achievements to conceal harm.

This does not mean that tasks can be set aside carelessly or that everyone’s wishes must be met. Concern for people also includes dividing work reasonably, explaining responsibilities clearly, and helping people carry out entrusted tasks conscientiously. We need to examine whether our pursuit of impressive results has led us to neglect participants’ health, family responsibilities, and dignity. Planning work therefore requires us both to take entrusted tasks seriously and to care for the people involved.