Values

A nation reflects the personal values of the majority of its people, and these values are reflected in how we live and vote. These values also influence outcomes in our daily life. On a national level these values influence the institutions of our government. However, if the personal values of government leaders do not reflect the personal values of the people, this can be disastrous for a nation. One of the most important of all personal values related to our personal happiness is righteousness. So what is righteousness?

Righteousness is the quality of being morally right or justifiable. The term righteous is commonly referred to, as something that you believe is morally right or fair. Given man’s varying opinion about what is morally right or fair, righteousness can have a wide range of definitions. The Bible teaches that righteousness is based on what God says about what makes us right in His eyes. What makes us right or righteous in God’s eyes is not anything that we have done. It is our response to His grace by believing through faith that what God has told us about salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ is true. I am reminded of Hebrews 13:18, “Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things.”

Some of the basic Christian values are: service, thankfulness, compassion, endurance, creativity, justice, peace, love, faith, grace, hope, humility, joy, respect and forgiveness. All of these values are referenced in both the Old and New Testament of the Bible. In this time of turmoil in our nation, maybe these values can influence wisdom and solutions to our division as a nation.

Bonefish