Principles don’t make life easier. They make it clearer.
Let’s start today with a story.
A young man landed a job as a personal assistant to a very successful businessman. On his very first day, the phone rang. The boss glanced at the caller ID and said,"Tell him I'm not here." The assistant picked up the call and said,"Yes, he’s right here," he said, handing the phone to his boss.The boss was furious."What did I just tell you?" he barked.The assistant calmly replied,"Lying is against my principles. If I can lie for you, how would you ever trust that I wouldn’t lie to you?"That simple act of integrity marked the beginning of a long and successful career.
Principles matter, and not just any principles–God’s Principles. The Bible is filled with them, and we should cling to them!
A great place to start is the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20), but there’s so much more!
A few examples:
- Tithing (Malachi 3:10)- Caring for the poor (Proverbs 19:17)- Forgiveness (Ephesians 4:32)- Serving others (Mark 10:45)
It can feel overwhelming when it seems like there are so many “rules” to live by, especially for new believers. But remember:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9
We don’t live right because we need to earn our place in heaven. We don’t follow principles to earn salvation. We follow them because we’ve been saved.
Salvation comes through our faith in Jesus and Jesus alone.
So why the need for principles?
God’s principles aren’t restrictions; they’re protection.They don’t limit your life—they clarify it.
When you draw a line in the sand based on Godly values, you may lose opportunities, but you gain peace, respect, and God's blessings.
