Summary Reflections
Phase 1: Nourishing Personal Vocational Discernment
Section 3: Values – What are they and why do they matter?
From Matthew 6:19-21; Genesis 18:1-15; 21:1-7; Ruth 1:15-18; Luke 19:1-10
Values – they inform and influence how we live our lives. They underpin the choices that we make, and they reflect our core beliefs. Spoken or unspoken, they are interwoven with our convictions, they shape our actions, and they impact our relationships, both personal and public. Brene Brown says “A value is a way of being or believing that we hold most important. Living into our values means that we do more than profess our values, we practice them.” Considering our values with intention invites us to live purposeful lives, so that what we do actually does reflect what we value, and what we value actually is born out of what we do.
Jesus’ words about treasures encourage us to re-examine what we value and why. They call us to consider if and how what we value serves our neighbors or, primarily, ourselves. The Genesis story of a late-in-life pregnancy for Sarah is an invitation to reflect upon how our values align with God’s values, and therefore to consider the connection between values and trust. Through the story of Ruth we see the correlation between values and commitments, and in the story of Zacchaeus, we are invited to challenge unjust systemic values through enacted personal values, and when necessary, change.
Together, these readings call us to intentionally clarify our own values so that how we live – both philosophically and practically – reflects our primary convictions.