Army VALUES. Family VALUES.

Yesterday morning at church, a man from my neighborhood and I visited a few minutes and our conversation led to his two sons who have made serving in the Air Force a career. One was just promoted to Colonel. He quickly pulled up a photo of his sons and two of his grandsons, who all serve in the armed forces. Those four men are bringing such pride and joy to this man, who is himself, retired from the army. I was inspired enough to hone in on some of those values that this family lives by.

My word for today is VALUES -- a person's principles of behavior; standards, ethics, moral code, morals. VALUES are those specifics that define who we are and are the absolute non-negotiables in our lives.

I am always touched when I see a young man or woman in their military uniform or fatigues. They represent such commitment and selfless sacrifice. The Army's 7 Core Values are: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Courage. It causes me to look introspectively at my own values..

When God made us, He planted within us certain things that we value deeply. They’re hardwired in our heart. Through our life experiences – from the environment we are raised in, the schools we go to, the friends we associate with, and the religious foundation we receive, God made them clear to us. These are the things that we would be willing to die for. They explain how we come by our personal priorities AND the absolutes . If our values include the 10 Commandments, God’s Word and God’s love….I’d say, “We’re making this world a better place.”

Every one of our politicians came from families – either they were taught the Golden Rule or they weren’t. They were taught character, honor, respect, human dignity…..or they weren’t. If family values are instilled in each other, all those qualities of how we want to live our family life will be passed down through all generations. Values help define the way we behave in various situations. They help us make right and good choices, and they solidify the bonds we have together. If our family members respect each other – chances are very good, they’ll respect others. If they live by “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” that’s how they’ll treat others. If they support each other, they’ll support their fellow man. If they respect their family’s lives, they’ll respect other lives.

Moses delivered God's Ten Commandments on a tablet of stone and if those commandments were followed, the Israelites would experience God's favor and blessings. Just imagine the blessings that would be on our families if we not only followed God's Ten Commandments, but also the family values (non-negotiables) that we stood for in our homes and lives.

Perhaps it's time to put a stake in the ground on behalf of our families and define those things that matter most to us and when we do, then we'll be blessed in our homes and we'll pass them on to our children and their children. Indeed it would be a HOME SWEET HOME.

Psalm 128:1 “Blessed are you who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways!”