Exodus 20:1-11

What Do I Live By?

A Question Of Values

As children, our parents instill certain values in us. They might be Christian, moralistic, free-spirited, selfish, or something else entirely. As children, we live by the rules and values our parents set or don’t set for us. As children grow into adults, every child makes decisions about the values upon which they will live. Will they live as their parents taught them? Or will they rebel and do something completely different? Most of the time, adults end up with values very similar to their parents albeit with some changes. 

As we explore what set of values to live by, the obvious first stop for Christians is the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments inform the other laws and commands throughout the Old and New Testament. Jesus’ teachings are built on interpretations of the Ten Commandments (the correct interpretations). The Ten Commandments is what our Bible readings will be today and tomorrow.

The Ten Commandments are split into two sections. The first four commandments focus on our relationship with God, and the final six commandments focus on our relationship with people. As we consider the values we should have in our lives and we determine how we will measure success in life, the health of our relationship with God should come first. The health of that relationship is why the first four commandments exist. We keep the Sabbath day so that we can focus on our relationship with God. We do not take the Lord’s name in vain so that we recognize that God is holy. We cannot attach His name to something that is not of God. Our value system must recognize the need for a relationship with God. 

How much value do you put on your relationship with God? Is it the most important relationship in your life? Or is it something you put time into when you get around to it? What are your values, and do they line up with the values found in the Bible?