Principles to Live By
Mrs. Jeanette Whittaker
An exchange took place recently on social media between Mrs. Ruth Smith, our ministry founder and president, and a former student who now calls herself a mom of many. Both are dear to me, so I smiled to see my friend, the mom of many, thank Mrs. Smith for the teaching she shared years ago in a high school classroom. The mom of many summed it up perfectly as “principles to live by.”
In a world of conflicting views and clamorous voices, confusion is more common than clarity. Choices with far-reaching consequences are made simply on the whims of opinion.
How does one remain grounded in such a society? He must have principles to live by. He must focus and discipline his thoughts in a manner that exercises right thinking. He must define right from a proper authority. He must submit himself to that which should truly govern his decisions, and therein lies the difficulty.
By nature, we want our own way. We prefer ourselves over others; or we prefer to impose ourselves upon others for our own purposes.
The conflict of life, that internal alignment of the heart and mind to that which should truly define our thinking and actions must rule in place of our preferences. That alignment may be thought of as a conscious effort to submit ourselves to those principles by which we should live. Those principles aren’t man-made or contrived; nor are they forced upon us against our will.
Out of a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, one must seek the leading of the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, to discover the mind of God. Discipline must be exercised with vigilance, always considering the unchanging principles of truth and righteousness which bring order in the midst of chaos, healing for brokenness, and hope that is founded on Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith.
On your journey of life, we would look forward to ministering to you as you search for those principles by which you will live.