Values - We Live With!!!

When a child is born, who rejoices? The parents, relatives and friends. But who cries? The Child. However, when we die, it should be the other way round. We should be rejoicing and have the satisfaction that we made a contribution to the world and left the world a little better place than we found it.
People names live forever through their good deeds.

"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward
for what he gave." - Calvin Coolidge

How Do We Judge Our Values?
According to Mahatma Gandhi there are seven deadly sins:

• Wealth without work


• Pleasure without conscience


• Knowledge without character


• Commerce without morality


• Science without humanity


• Religion without sacrifice


• Politics without principle
  

Each of these perversions reflects a lack of values. There are two ways by which we put our value system to the test:

1. God Test: Whenever we are doing something, at home or at work, alone or with someone - if values are in question - ask yourself, "If God sees me doing this, would He be happy of me and say, Weldone boy!" or would He be sad about me?


2. People Test: If my people were to see me doing what I am doing, would I want them to see it, or would I be embarrassed?
   

We worry about the declining morals of the younger generation: where will they end up? Values and virtues are not hereditary; they are learned. We need to get our priorities right if we are to infulence the next generations positively.

CHARACTER IS PRICELESS
Our character will be what we ourself choose to make it; because it's not readymade, but is created bit by bit and day by day. It's very well said:

Money lost, nothing is lost

Time lost, something is lost

Character lost, everything is lost.

I feel sad for those of the people who inherit money without values. Without lessons and guidance, they often equate everything with money. They think everything can be bought and sold. People want to be overnight successes at the cost of their conscience and it still doestn't work. That's because true values are priceless. The moment a price is put on values, the values lose their worth. The most precious things in life, money just can not buy. People with character, integrity and the right values are not for sale. Money can buy:

• a good bed, but not sleep


• amusements, but not happiness


• books, but not wisdom


• a clock, but not more time


• companions, but not friends


• cosmetics, but not beauty


• food, but not strength


• house, but not home


• Medicines, but not health


• a ring, but not marriage


• The Bible, but not salvation

COMMITMENT

Commitment is an integral part of a good value system. When your value system is clear it will be easier to make decisions & commitments. Example: you can't keep a friend by revealing to others what he told you in confidence.

Lack of commitment destabilizes relationships and leads to insecurity.

• Parent/child
• Husband/wife
• Student/teacher
• Customer/salesman
• Employer/employee
• friend/friend

Commitment says:

1. I am willing to sacrifice because I care.
2. I am a person of integrity and you can trust me.
3. You can count on me no matter what.
4. Despite pain, I will still be there.
5. I will not let you down in good times or in bad times.

Commitment is a sign of maturity. Relationship, society, teritory are based on commitment, not just on closeness and intimacy. Commitment not kept leads to:

• Broken homes
• Abandoned children
• Unfulfilled life
• Isolation
• Loss of business
• Poor relationship
• High stress levels
• Guilt
• Depression... so on.....

ETHICS

Bad circumstances are not EXCUSES FOR MAKING BAD CHOICES.

Values and etchics are not only designed for good times, but also to get you through bad times. There are two choices- 1) Personal choices(what clothes to buy, what to eat etcs.), and 2) Ethical choices(objective choice between right & wrong or justice). Thats why our conscience hurts when we make an unethical choice and doesn't hurt when we make a wrong personal choice.

Ethics and ethical choices are confusing- only to those with unclear values. Ethics and justice involve: a)Empathy, b)Fairness, c)Compassion for the injured, the ill, the aged, the needy etcs., d) The larger interest of society

Just because a majority of people agree on something doesn't make it right.

TO EDUCATE A MAN IN MIND AND NOT IN MORALS IS TO EDUCATE A MENACE TO SOCIETY.
-Theodore Roosevelt

LIVING WITH A PURPOSE

All of us put on this planet for a purpose. We are part of a big picture. But very few people discover their purpose in life. Most of us just exist and keep counting our days rather than our days count.

I would rather fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed than succeed in a
cause that would ultimately fail. - Woodrow Wilson

It is not what we Eat-but what what we digest that makes us strong

Not what we Gain-but what we save that makes us rich

Not what we read-but what we remember that makes us learned

Not what we profess-but what we practice that reflects our Christian Values.

How would you like to be remembered? What is your legacy? Will you be spoken well of? Will you be remembered with love & respect? Will you be missed?