Values

Back to Christian Values - the word "values" is kinda playing on my mind but i haven't thought really that much about it. All I've thought about is that I don't think what I told my auntie were the core Christian values. I'm doing this Christian ethics course now, and we've been looking at the differences between duty (things we do) ethics and virtue (the way we are) ethics. And I would say to love God with all your heart, soul & mind and to love others is more an action thing rather than values (similar to virtues? or character) we should have.

Anyway, just reading this Purpose-Driven Life devotional entry by Rick Warren (24/8/09 - "God says you are valuable")

The question he posed was - What determines value in life? (Value here not exactly similar to the value I was talking about above. However, it's interesting how words u take for granted - which I often do & can't see beyond unlike some ppl who can- suddenly seem more meaningful. How the simple meaning of a word is expanded to use in different areas but somehow its meaning has its core origin still retained)

Anyway, what determines value in life? He says 2 things:

1) Depends on how much someone is willing to pay for it - if he's willing to pay $50,000 for that piece of art crap, then it must be very high value to him

2) Depends on who owned it in the past - if that piece of smelly stinking sock belongs to Michael Jordan, then yes, some crazy person is definitely going to be willing to pay a lot for it.

Rick Warren's point being if you're a Christian, do u see how valuable you are?

God was willing to pay the highest price for you (who would give up his own son for anyone?)

and who owns u? God does because he bought you.

Thus, you are acceptable and just worth so much value in God's eyes.

Anyway, in what way does this definition of value relate to what are core Christian values?

another time....going to have a shower now.

if anyone (whoever reads this) feels like thinking and contributing, please feel free to do so :)

Had a surprising conversation with my aunt today. This morning as I was walking out the door (and i was late, mind you...after oversleeping...again in 2 weeks, what is wrong with me?), she asked me what the core values of Christianity was. I was like, uhm..."I think: Know and love God with all your heart, soul & mind and love your neighbour as you love yourself. Those 2 sum up all the commandments in the Bible." And then, she said she felt like she was doing the 2nd one, but not the 1st one. And she explained how she was doing/not doing each. I just suggested to her to challenge herself more with the 1st one.

Then in the evening, over some really yummy blueberry yoghurt cake she had just baked (mann the whole place smelled so good), she showed me some print-outs of "Core Christian values", some quotes what ppl say "what the meaning of life is", some values from Taoism and Buddhism (Explanations) etc which she found online. And she told me for the past few days she felt like she had put her life on hold because she wanted to find a house to buy first. And that includes even material life on hold (eg buying furniture, going on holidays)...Life had been to her recently just: work, come home, eat, sleep, and the cycle repeats itself. It was Christmas and now it's August?!! Where has time gone?

And it's going to be September - as my workmate says :when the -ber months approach..time just FliES!

Anyway, it was interesting. Just casually mentioned if this was a mid-life crisis thing...quarter-life crisis..all the same thing. She laughed and said must be a 3/4 life crisis (and no, she is not that old but 3/4-life could mean 3/4 of one's life too, so she may be right).

My aunty wants to play badminton with me this Saturday - shld be nice =)