To The Core: Why Are Core Values Important?

A friend of mine went to the store to buy three items – wrapping paper, a white bow, and a sewing kit. At checkout the clerk informed him that by purchasing wrapping paper he was entitled to two free 2-liter bottles of Orange Crush. But first she checked with a fellow employee that the free offer was still in effect. Then she went out of her way to show my friend where the Orange Crush was located. The bill for the wrapping paper, bow, and sewing kit came to $5.98.

My friend started driving home thinking, “What a great deal!” He had only paid $5.98 for the three items plus 2 free bottles of Orange Crush. Then he remembered that the sewing kit alone cost $5.00. How could the entire sale add up to only $5.98? He checked the receipt and discovered the checker forgot to ring up the sewing kit.

At that point my friend faced a decision. He could continue home knowing that he got something for nothing because the clerk made a mistake. After all, it was her responsibility to ring up every item. OR … he could turn the car around, go back to the store, and pay for the overlooked item.

Hmm … my friend turned around, returned to the store, and paid for the sewing kit. The clerk was grateful to the man and commented, “Very few people in the world would’ve come back.” My friend replied, “Well, I came back because it was the right thing to do. If I didn’t, I would always know I cheated you.” The clerk smiled and said, “Not only would you know, but God would know, too.”

One of my friend’s core values is integrity – doing what is right in every circumstance. Although he said that integrity was a core value, he actually lived it out in real life. And because he did, the clerk will probably never forget the man who did the right thing. Maybe his action will lead her to Christ or at least draw her closer to Him.

There are at least 5 reasons core values are important. Core values …
1. Define your fundamental character (who you are when no one’s looking)
2. Reflect what you stand for and care about as a person
3. Reveal your essence when all the veneer is stripped away
4. Convey your philosophy of life
5. Guide your behavior and influence your decisions

Each of these 5 reasons is evident in the story above. Although no one was looking, my friend demonstrated his character by doing the right thing. His action demonstrated to himself and the clerk that he stands for and cares about honesty (part of integrity). The decision to turn back stripped away the veneer, or surface level, of his life. For him, it wasn’t a difficult decision because he had decided in advance that integrity was part of his philosophy of life. Finally, integrity guided his behavior and influenced his decision.

Knowing your core values is important. Otherwise you’re like a ship without a rudder having little direction, control, or safety in your life.

But where do your core values originate? In the next post we’ll examine the factors influencing the development of your core values.

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