What Values Guide Your Life?

Who or what people, things, or ideas are most important to you? That which you perceive as being most important to you will ordinarily guide your thoughts, decisions, behavior, and actions, your life.

We are all governed by some core or guiding principles, worldviews, or values. They may arise from our earlier experiences with our parents or significant others, our peers, groups to which we belong, our education and training, philosophy, religion, or other life experiences. They will most likely change as you mature physically, cognitively, psychologically, emotionally, and spiritually over time. You may not be even consciously aware of them, but they can still influence the frame or story through which you view and live your life.

Moreover, the personal values you adopt and follow—whether desirable or undesirable—also affect your character, self-identity, and who you become. This is especially so if your desirable values become virtues—the habitual disposition to do the good—or whether you allow undesirable virtues to become habitual vices.

With some reflection, you can generate a list of some recognized desirable values, such as: love, truth, goodness, beauty, ethical, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, courage, moderation, integrity, honesty, humility, compassion, unselfishness, forgiving, merciful, caring, inclusive, justice, joy, honor, wholeness, openness, loyalty, discipline, perseverance, happiness, dedication, creativity, generosity, responsibility, and many other desirable character traits. At the opposite end of each of these listed values is their corresponding undesirable character trait.

As Christians, we believe that the human Jesus modeled these and many other desirable values for us. We are each called to follow Jesus’ way, a way that leads to abundant life (Jn 10:10), now and in the future.

Take some time to look in a mirror and honestly reflect on those values—both desirable and undesirable—that currently guide your life. What additional or different values would you like to guide your life from now on? What prevents you from doing this?