The world we live in operates on a very high level of values. Almost everything we do and we don't do is guided by a simple set of values. While there are good values, there are also bad values. While there are God's values, there are also ungodly values.
It's important for Christians to know what matters to God. When we understand God's heart and what is valuable to Him, we understand what God wants us to value in return. We cannot please God until we know what is most valuable to Him and start realigning our hearts with His.
We can never get to the level that God is on, but we can get into the same wavelength and learn what God desires and make those desires ours as well. While everything has a purpose and God made everything useful, He made values to exist in a hierarchy. Work is valuable, but not more valuable that your health. Rules are valuable, but not nearly as valuable as love.
As imperfect people, we have a tendency to switch and scatter godly values around, resulting in a chaos of inconsistent living. People, even Christians, have a very weird way of mixing values up.
Here are five common ways that people tend to mix up values.
Our past over our future. Many people live in the past thinking that it defines them, forgetting that 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
Opinions of others over God's opinions. When critics and enemies start trying to define you with their words, remind yourself what God said in Isaiah 55:9, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
Money over providence. When we serve money, we get our values mixed up, but when we serve God and allow His providence to flow, money becomes our servant. The latter part of Matthew 6:24 says, "You cannot serve God and money."
Happiness over joy. God is not interested in temporal happiness if it gets in the way of the everlasting joy that can only be found in Him. That's why Galatians 5:22 declares, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness..."
Our knowledge over our lifestyle. God wants us to know His Word, yes, but He also wants us to know how we can apply it in our lives. James 1:22 tells us, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."
