“For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” (Romans 7:19) I’m sure this is a verse that many of us are familiar with, as we can nod our heads in identification with Paul! We struggle and often wonder why it always seems so difficult for our actions to correspond with our ‘values’…
Our actions stem from what we fix as our ‘highest good’ in life – the apex of our beliefs, the ultimate value. Therefore in order to change our actions, we must go to the root of the problem, which is what we fix as our ‘highest good’.
For some, the ‘highest good’ in life is happiness, and for others, pleasure. Everything that they do and the decisions they make revolve around maximising their happiness or pleasure. Their purpose in life therefore would be to be as happy as possible, or to enjoy themselves to the max! Doesn’t that sound like what some of the friends around us echo? “Eat, drink, and be merry…for tomorrow we die”. What a waste if our value system is centred on something that ends prematurely on this earth and is not carried forward to our life eternal!
So what then should be our ‘highest good’? The answer is found clearly in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” We need to adopt the kingdom of God as our ‘highest good’, and the motivation behind each and every thing that we do should be a reflection of this.
Most, if not all parents, desire for their children to study hard and do well in school. However, the underlying motivation is usually so that they can look forward to enjoying a comfortable life, as opposed to excelling for the glory of God. From this we can see financial security being made the ‘highest good’. For most Singaporeans, this is not uncommon as financial security determines when we get married, how many children we have, what kind of jobs we go for, and how hard we work. Having been brought up with success and financial security as their main motivation, children naturally grow up with the same value systems, passing on the same mindsets to their children…and so the cycle continues!
Even the simplest things such as exercising can be a reflection of our ‘highest good’. Is our motivation behind regular exercise and a healthy diet to look beautiful in the eyes of the world? Or do we want to keep our bodies fit should the Lord call us one day to bring the Gospel over mountains and through the jungles to people who have yet to hear the Good News? Well, personally I find it easier to find my motivation in the former as much as I would like to admit otherwise…
Some others, who do not establish their ‘highest good’, live ‘compartmentalised’ lives – orienting specific aspects of their lives around various values, as opposed to a single one. In church, we may display certain behaviour, manner of speech, or type of dressing. During the other six days of the week we may have an entirely different wardrobe or engage in activities we hope others may never come to know. This is simply a reflection of a lack of consistency and coherence in our values. Without first establishing our ‘highest good’, the order of our values will change together with our moods and influences.
Nothing will change in our lives till we change our ‘highest good’, and in order to become Christ-like, we have to replace our personal values with Biblical values. Stop for a moment and re-evaluate if the kingdom of God is your ‘highest good’. Does your ‘highest good’ need tweaking today?
Our actions stem from what we fix as our ‘highest good’ in life – the apex of our beliefs, the ultimate value. Therefore in order to change our actions, we must go to the root of the problem, which is what we fix as our ‘highest good’.
For some, the ‘highest good’ in life is happiness, and for others, pleasure. Everything that they do and the decisions they make revolve around maximising their happiness or pleasure. Their purpose in life therefore would be to be as happy as possible, or to enjoy themselves to the max! Doesn’t that sound like what some of the friends around us echo? “Eat, drink, and be merry…for tomorrow we die”. What a waste if our value system is centred on something that ends prematurely on this earth and is not carried forward to our life eternal!
So what then should be our ‘highest good’? The answer is found clearly in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” We need to adopt the kingdom of God as our ‘highest good’, and the motivation behind each and every thing that we do should be a reflection of this.
Most, if not all parents, desire for their children to study hard and do well in school. However, the underlying motivation is usually so that they can look forward to enjoying a comfortable life, as opposed to excelling for the glory of God. From this we can see financial security being made the ‘highest good’. For most Singaporeans, this is not uncommon as financial security determines when we get married, how many children we have, what kind of jobs we go for, and how hard we work. Having been brought up with success and financial security as their main motivation, children naturally grow up with the same value systems, passing on the same mindsets to their children…and so the cycle continues!
Even the simplest things such as exercising can be a reflection of our ‘highest good’. Is our motivation behind regular exercise and a healthy diet to look beautiful in the eyes of the world? Or do we want to keep our bodies fit should the Lord call us one day to bring the Gospel over mountains and through the jungles to people who have yet to hear the Good News? Well, personally I find it easier to find my motivation in the former as much as I would like to admit otherwise…
Some others, who do not establish their ‘highest good’, live ‘compartmentalised’ lives – orienting specific aspects of their lives around various values, as opposed to a single one. In church, we may display certain behaviour, manner of speech, or type of dressing. During the other six days of the week we may have an entirely different wardrobe or engage in activities we hope others may never come to know. This is simply a reflection of a lack of consistency and coherence in our values. Without first establishing our ‘highest good’, the order of our values will change together with our moods and influences.
Nothing will change in our lives till we change our ‘highest good’, and in order to become Christ-like, we have to replace our personal values with Biblical values. Stop for a moment and re-evaluate if the kingdom of God is your ‘highest good’. Does your ‘highest good’ need tweaking today?
