Let’s be honest, everyone has different values they believe to be correct and true. What I am going to address is your core values – the things that define what we believe and hold dear to our hearts. These are the values that not only define what we believe, but also define who we are in the eyes of others. These values again, are vast in numbers and time and space does not allow for me to cover all of them. I do want to go over a few that I believe have a role in the crafting of your personal vision statement.
What Are Values?
I grew up in a large family and am proud of that and am open in sharing that the life lessons we learned in our home were shaped by our parent’s core values. Those values included honesty, hard work, respect, love, God, family and spiritual health. Either consciously or unconsciously I have carried those values over to my life, made them my own and have done my best to transfer them to my family. It is those core values that have shaped my goals and vision for life.
The Purpose Of Values
How do core values play into crafting a vision statement? Good question! Your vision statement should always be pushing you forward, reaching to achieve that end result you know must be achieved. If you do not have core values that are in harmony with that goal, it will probably never be achieved. Think about it, you have to have as one of your core values hard work or you will aimlessly never start or will flounder and give up. It takes work to have a vision, to get that vision on paper, and then to execute that vision. Then along the timeline, you have to monitor the vision, adjust the vision, and work around, over, and through obstacles.
I don’t want to sound off on only one core value, but there is one that must not be ignored – work. Don’t buy into the lie that fulfilling your dream or achieving God’s vision will be too hard. Many will come along, and because they have never reached out to do great things, they will discourage you from living God’s vision. On the flipside, don’t expect this vision process to be easy either. It will take work. You mean, in order for God to use me, there will be work involved? Yes! There will be hard work and much work involved, but it will also be enjoyable, fulfilling work that will lead to the accomplishment of God’s vision and your dreams. Leadership guru John Maxwell says, “Even if a person has natural talent, he has to prepare and train to become successful.” You might be the most talented individual in your field, but talent doesn’t make things happen. It takes work.
Maybe you value respect. We live in a very rude world. People are becoming more and more rude. Common courtesy isn’t so common any more. Every night America turns on Kimmell or Letterman and listens to them put down society. Their favorite target is those in authority, those in leadership, and those who are to be respected simply because of their position.
The Bible makes it very clear that respect is one of those values that a stable family is built on; a stable life is built on. It’s even the framework for a civilized society. The Bible is real specific about this. It says we’re to honor our parents –that’s the fifth commandment. We are to respect leaders in government, those in law enforcement, those in the military. We are to respect church leaders. The Bible says husbands are to respect and reverence their wives. And just in case God forgets anybody, He says in 1 Peter 2:17, “Show proper respect to everyone.”
[callout]God has created each of us uniquely; just look around at the other people in your church or organization, and this becomes very clear. Some are lazy and do not want to work, while others are workaholics and never seem to find enough hours in the day to get things done. While we all work differently and on a different timetable with varying degrees of expectation, God has put within all of us the need and desire to make a difference with our lives through work.[/callout]
Take time to write out on your blank page what matters most to you in life. What things are so precious to you that it is worth defending and dying on a hill for? What attitudes and values will you not compromise on, no matter what? These convictions you have will drive the passion of your vision and will determine if you give up or not. I have found the things that matter most to me, are the ones that I will defend, protect, and make sure they stay above the fray. When it comes to core values, you cannot be a pansy or weakling!
