Daily D – Exodus 23:2-3

by | Jan 26, 2023 | Daily D | 0 comments

David G Bowman Logo

Exodus 23:2, 3  “You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice. And do not slant your testimony in favor of a person just because that person is poor.” (NLT)

Sometimes you have to oppose a crowd. Sometimes you have to overcome your bias to do what is right, just, fair, and compassionate. Sometimes doing the right thing is hard. Do it anyway. 

God-shaped values are those hooks we hang our hats on that help us make decisions. Most people share a dozen or so values. There are typically a handful of values that drive us. Have you identified yours? How do you state them? 

Consider a simple test. If I offered you a check for one million dollars, and if that check was legitimate, what would you do with it?

  • Some people would spend it.
  • Some people would save it.
  • Some people would invest it.
  • Some people would give it away.

What you would do with a million dollars is based on your most deeply-held values, your core values. 

A church website I checked out yesterday declared the church’s vision, mission, and goal. Their vision does not meet the definition of the word. Their mission statement is generic. Their goal is imprecise. They also have eight “core” values. These values are not really values. Instead, they are points of theology restated from their very long belief statement. 

Noting these things is not picking on the church or its leadership. These are simply observations from someone (me) who has studied these things deeply for decades. A lack of clarity about how we define ourselves muddies the water for those who long for a refreshing drink of the good news. 

Eight core values are too many. Eight are not really core. Four to six is a more honest number. 

Also, if we say we have certain core values, they should be easy for others to identify in our ordinary lives. 

Values not shaped and refined by the heart of God tend to become biases. We favor some people, places, and things. We hold other people, places, and things at more distance. For example, consider MSNBC and NewsMax. Where do their biases lie? Also, consider the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington team formerly known as the Redskins. 

The fact that I used the name the Washington team used to be known as brings up another bias, doesn’t it? 

There is a point to this exercise. How are you allowing God to reshape and refine your core values? How are you allowing him to shift you from bias to compassion?

The Gospel reshapes our lives. It refines every aspect of our lives. If we are unwilling to allow God entry into our political preferences and ideas of what is right, just, fair, and compassionate, we are installing our values as higher than God’s. Needless to say, that is dangerous ground. 

Today is a good day to reconsider our individual core values. Does God have free access to reshape and refine our filters for daily living?

I will allow our Father in heaven to reshape and refine my values to align completely with his.

Our Father, reshape me. Refine me. Place your thoughts in my mind, your compassion in my heart, and your tools of grace and peace in my hands. Amen. 

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

CONNECT WITH ME!

Interested in learning more about Church Unique or Life Younique? Send a note through the Get In Touch box or Message me through the Facebook link above.

          Church Unique Logo          Auxano Logo

GET IN TOUCH!

READ MY BLOG!

Daily D – Acts 2:33

Acts 2:33 “Therefore, since he has been exalted to the right hand of God and has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit, he has poured out what you both see and hear.”

Daily D – Luke 23:18-19

Luke 23:18, 19 Then they all cried out together, “Take this man away! Release Barabbas to us!” (He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder.)

Daily D – Luke 22:24

Luke 22:24 Then a dispute also arose among them about who should be considered the greatest.

Daily D – Luke 19:41-44

Luke 19:41-44 As he approached and saw the city, he wept for it, saying, “If you knew this day what would bring peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes. For the days will come on you when your enemies will build a barricade around you, surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you and your children among you to the ground, and they will not leave one stone on another in your midst, because you did not recognize the time when God visited you.”

Daily D – Luke 17:14

Luke 17:14 When he saw them, he told them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And while they were going, they were cleansed.