Six Values to Explore This Lent

When we were children, many of us dreamed of finding a buried treasure, something of great value. We use the word values to refer to those beliefs and principles that we believe are most important for guiding the way we live and work and treat ourselves and others. Lent is a great time to reflect on our values and to reshape them so that we truly treasure, or value, that which God treasures and values most.

The Value of Compassion

The Bible tells us that God is “slow to anger and rich in compassion,” and Jesus taught us to be compassionate as our Heavenly Father is compassionate. Compassion is a stance towards life that enables one to stand in solidarity with others, not just feeling empathy for their pain and suffering, but rather, identifying with those who are suffering and vulnerable, and acting on their behalf.

The Value of Altruism

The 16th-century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus proposed a model that showed that the planets orbit the sun rather than the earth, as was previously believed. Inspired by his work, the phrase “Copernican revolution” has become commonplace for describing someone who needs to be less self-centered. We say that such a person is in need of a “Copernican revolution.” In fact, all of us are in need of such a revolution in the form of repentance, since we human beings have a tendency to be self-centered. Lent is a good time for us to learn to put the needs of others before our own, a trait we call altruism.

The Value of Generosity

The Lenten discipline of almsgiving reminds us to cultivate the value of generosity. We tend to think of generosity as an occasional act of kindness expressed monetarily. We send a check to a charity, drop an envelope in the church basket, or put some money in a CRS Rice Bowl. These are indeed generous acts that tend to make us feel better about ourselves. Generosity, however, is much more than an action, and it does not always involve money. It is not a feeling that comes and goes. True generosity is a permanent disposition, an attitude, and a way of proceeding. Generosity originates in the heart. It is not an occasional action, feeling, or whim; it is an orientation toward life.

The Value of Honesty

On several occasions, Jesus accused the Pharisees of being “hypocrites.” The word hypocrite comes from the Greek word hypokrites, which means “an actor,” and we know that actors in ancient Greek theater wore masks to hide their true identities behind the identities of the characters they were playing. We sometimes struggle to be honest about our true thoughts and feelings. And yet, our spiritual and emotional well-being rely on the value of honesty—being honest with ourselves, others, and God.

The Value of Optimism

Optimism is at the very heart of the Kingdom of God, and before we invite someone to consider following Jesus, we had better show some optimism. To be Christian is to have a disposition of optimism and not despair. We are not doomsayers. By the same token, we do not see the world through rose-colored glasses. We are realists. We see, feel, and experience pain, violence, sadness, hurt, and evil. However, our faith teaches us that God will overcome all and that we are not alone. True optimism is a disposition of confidence. We have every reason to believe, every reason to hope, and when all is said and done, no reason to despair.

The Value of Cleanliness

The phrase, “Cleanliness is next to godliness,” is not found in the Bible but is regularly used, nonetheless, by Christians as if it were. Perhaps that is because there is great truth in this statement. Scripture does tell us that God “makes all things new.” Cleanliness—referring to both personal hygiene and keeping our environments neat and clean—is a reminder to us of how God restores things and does indeed make all things new.