What and how (mission & values)

I was doing my daily devotion earlier this morning using John 10:1-10. It's a familiar passage for me - Jesus is the Great Shepherd; his sheep know his voice; etc. - yet it left me feeling a little... dry. Would I really recognize his voice anymore? And, more than that, am I really following him with my life??? Exactly what impact does following Jesus have on my life?

I journaled some thoughts and said a little prayer. What with all that's happening right now with the mass shootings, the hate spewing, the lies, coverups and side-taking... the times seem rather bleak to say the least. I asked the Lord to speak to me.

Then I turned in my chair to get on with my day, and something caught my eye...

The YMCA core values are posted behind the desk where I work, and probably like most people, they've become a part of the wall and are virtually invisible. Yet on this morning... as an answer to prayer or not, I do not know - they seemed to pull the corners of my mouth up, and lift my spirit ever so slightly.

I'm not saying the YMCA is a great company to work for. It might or might not be, but at least I find the mission and values to be quite honorable.

The mission is stated as such:

We are a not for profit organization whose mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.

Every now and then I will question exactly what those "Christian principles" are, and how exactly they are shown. For some odd reason it wasn't until this morning that I realized the values are the 'how' to the 'what' of the mission!

It was also this morning that I realized these values are also good indicators of how a Christian (or 'disciple') should live.

The Four Core Values are:

•  RESPECT (hold people and the environment in high regard)
• Honor yourself and others
• Accept differences and meet people where they are
• Be thoughtful with your words and actions
• Show the courage to stand up for what is right

• RESPONSIBILITY (lead with your words, actions and attitude)
• Empower others to grow and develop
• Do what you say you're going to do
• Be a good steward of resources
• Take ownership of your decisions

• HONESTY (be truthful in words and actions)
• Do the right thing, even when no one is looking
• Communicate in a fair manner
• Be fair and transparent
• Be authentic

• CARING (love your neighbor as yourself)  
• Show kindness and compassion
• Put others first
• Be complimentary and affirming when celebrating others
• Show a genuine interest in others
• Engage others with a positive attitude

I realize these don't specifically mention anything about making disciples - which may rankle some more 'churchy' type folks, but you could make a case for the implication. Even aside from that, they helped this old man feel a little better about some things. Not that I have perfected it, and I certainly have a lot of room for improvement, but there ARE some things I do that are a direct result of being a Jesus-follower (and not just a Y employee).

So, I was a little encourage about that...