We are continuing our series on critical issues in education with a look at core values.

Core values can best be describe as the moral compass of an organization.  When used properly, they inform every action and decision the group undertakes, so their selection should be undertaken with careful reflection.  The recommendation is usually to make a list of values and pick the five that are most important to the organization to be the core values.

After self-reflection, I identified the following as my personal core values:  faith, integrity, curiosity, wisdom, and relationships.

Faith: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1).  For most of us, God has never directly revealed Himself to us, so faith becomes one of the defining characteristics of the Christian life.  That faith then impacts every aspect of our life, as we seek to be little Christs to the world.

Integrity: For me, integrity means doing what is right in all circumstances, even if no one ever knows.  This is a very difficult value to uphold, because not doing the right thing is often easier and has greater rewards.

Curiosity: I believe that one of the tasks God has given to mankind is to explore and understand the world He has created for us.  This task was given us when God brought the animals of the world to Adam to be named (Genesis 2:19).  Classifying something (taxonomy) is an important aspect of science.  It could be argued that much of science can be understood as efforts to classify various phenomena.

Wisdom: It is often said that just because one can do a thing doesn’t mean that one should do it.  Wisdom is being able to evaluate the consequences of a proposed action and act according to one’s values.  Put another way, wisdom is applying knowledge responsibly.

Relationships: Building relationships is a major focus of the New Testament.  Jesus commands His disciples to “love one another” (John 13:35).  In Romans 12:10, we see the admonition to “be devoted to one another in brotherly love.”  Galatians 5:13 tells us to “serve one another in love.”  Christ Himself repaired our relationship with the Father through His sacrifice on the cross (Romans 5:8).  Through our relationships we are provided the opportunity to share Christ, both with the focus of our relationships and to those who observe our interactions.

These values are my personal core values, but what about core values for a learning organization?  In the next installment of our series on critical issues, we will examine the core values of a Lutheran school.