Culture is commonly defined as the way a group of people live. The culture of a people is dictated by an underlying set of beliefs and attitudes, known as values. For example, organisations have “core” values, which inform their daily choices or the activities that they focus their energies on. While most organisations have core values, few commit to them. For those who commit to them, the benefits may not always be short term; infact it will cost lots of time and resources to internalise one\’s core values, but the long-term benefits are worth the commitment.
As children of God we have been born into the Kingdom of God (Colossians 1:13). This kingdom, like any other, has its culture, and core values which must influence the way its citizens live. These core values make us different from the unbeliever. We are in the world but are not of the world (John 17:16); our values are completely different from the world’s values. But if we do not commit to these values we will be just like unbelievers, even though we are different.
The core values of God’s kingdom I am referring to are the fruit of the spirit – the recreated human spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law”.
This is the fruit of the recreated human spirit, because in John 15 Jesus explained that, it is the branches (believers) that bear the fruit, and not the vine (Christ), even though the enablement comes from the vine.
In the above scripture, Paul was talking about the qualities and values that undergird the operation of the kingdom of God. The good news is that, when you became born again, the fruit of the spirit was imparted into your spirit, so you do not need to get them from outside but rather you draw them from within – your spirit.
Once you yield to these values you will be able to function effectively in the kingdom, and you will stand out from the crowd. These values hold in them the solution to the myriad of problems the world is grappling with today. Believers should be part of the answers and solutions in the world, and not part of the problem or questions. We should be the most diligent people in our work places as a result of these values.
Our homes ought to be the most loving and peaceful homes there are; we should be able to offer innovative and transformational ideas that the world’s leaders are seeking after. Now these may sound like unrealistic expectations, but that is exactly what we have been called to do – to let our lights so shine that men will see our good works and glorify our Father who is in heaven.
So commit to practising the core values of the kingdom today. Your success in fulfilling the purpose of God for your life depends on it.