by Rich Carlson

Once when I gave worship at a Christian elementary school, I told the students if I had only one Bible text to help teach me how to live for Jesus, it would be Philippians 4:8. I can only imagine what my life would be like if I ran every decision, every choice, every action, every thought and every attitude through this “test.” 

“Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy– meditate on these things.”    Philippians 4:8  

What would happen if I had the message of this text so imbedded in my life that it became the determiner for all my thoughts and actions and choices? I would make my decisions by using these criteria: 

If something is: 

True 

Noble 

Just 

Pure 

Lovely 

If it will: 

Produce good things 

And if: There is anything praiseworthy about it–

Then I will choose to act, think, respond, behave and believe in those things. If something goes against any of those things, then it is something I do not want to do. It is that simple.  

I pray that all of us recognize the importance of identifying our values.  Our values should be consistent with the will and Word of God. That is the most secure place I have found upon which to build my set of values.

Rich Carlson is campus chaplain at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. "God is Faithful" is adapted from the email devotionals he writes regularly for the Union College family. Rich enjoys filling his life with God, his family, and especially his five grandchildren.