<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there is but little water in the stream, it is the fault, not of the channel, but of the source\u201d (Jerome).<\/p>\n
OUR \u201cSOURCES\u201d ARE THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT DETERMINANT OF OUR LIVES. Whether we like the quality of life we have right now or not, the quality of our lives is no mere coincidence; it\u2019s the result of a sequence of things that can be traced back to certain sources. And if there\u2019s anything about our lives that we\u2019d like to change, going all the way back up the line and reexamining our sources is the most productive, and responsible, thing we can do.<\/p>\n
Although it\u2019s true that external circumstances have a bearing on our happiness, our real quality of life is produced, not by our circumstances, but by our character.<\/em> To whatever extent circumstances hurt us or help us, character hurts us or helps us even more. But our individual characters didn\u2019t just happen to us; they\u2019ve come, as we\u2019ve said, from certain sources. Consider three of the most important of these.<\/p>\n Principles.<\/em> Our principles are the ultimate sources from which our characters flow. Consider, for example, this principle: \u201cAll human beings are answerable to an objective moral law that rules the universe.\u201d It makes a gigantic difference whether that principle is true or false. Surely all would agree that it\u2019s important to decide whether or not a principle like that would make a good source for our thinking.<\/p>\n Values.<\/em> Our values are the things we appreciate more than others, and here again, our decisions are important. For example, which do we like more: beauty or ugliness? Which would make a better source?<\/p>\n Goals.<\/em> Our principles and our values usually produce some goals that we want to reach. Good lives can\u2019t come from any source other than good goals. So it\u2019s vital that we select goals of the highest quality.<\/p>\n Whatever the sources of our individual characters are, it is to be hoped that we\u2019ve chosen these sources carefully. If we have, then these are sources, no doubt, that we believe are good. And if that\u2019s true, then we need to value our sources and honor them. Above all, we need to live with consistent integrity<\/em> to our sources \u2014 so that the excellence of \u201cwhere we\u2019re coming from\u201d will radiate to those around us.<\/p>\n \u201c. . . showing them a light that is so lovely that they want with all their hearts to know the source of it\u201d (Madeleine L\u2019Engle).<\/p>\n Gary Henry \u2013 WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com<\/p>\n