What matters most? It's a question we often ask ourselves. Is it wealth and riches? Good health? A loving family? Perhaps an active social life with lots of friends? Actually those are the result of what matters most - the person you ARE, not what you do or have. The values you live by determine the choices you make. And your choices become the roadmap of your life.

A value is a principle, standard or quality considered to be desirable or worthwhile. Every person has an individual set of values, a personal code that we strive to live by. Values motivate us to think, talk and act in certain ways. They also serve as parameters, setting boundaries or limits on our behavior. The question is, which are the most important?

As God's creation, we have been hard-wired with certain internal values to guide our day-to-day lives. He called them the 'fruit of the spirit' (Gal 5:22-23). If you look at any of a long list of possible human values, you will find that most are rooted in God's list: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, humility and self-control. Here are ten essential values that align with God's plan and purpose for our lives.

Positive Expectancy - Have you noticed that negative people seem to be immersed in lousy situations much of the time? The Bible tells us that "as a man thinks in his heart, so is he". Thoughts and attitudes, positive or negative, act like a spiritual magnet. What matters most is not what happens to us, but how we respond. A positive attitude (faith in a positive outcome) influences the Universe in our favor.

Self-Worth - To grow into the life God has promised, we must believe that we are worthy, that we deserve to live in and receive His abundant Blessings. Our self-image creates our own personal reality. It determines our friends, lifestyle and environment. Confidence in our own self-worth lets us relax and be comfortable with who we are, even as we recognize the need for continued growth and development.

Gratitude - Gratefulness reinforces our hopefulness and optimism. It's like the mustard seed that grows up to be a guiding value of our lives. As good people, we recognize goodness despite any circumstance. We are unselfish; aware and appreciative of blessings large and small. Gratitude opens our minds and connects us to the Source of all blessing, God.

Joyfulness - Joy is not the same as happiness. Happiness depends on outer circumstances. Joy is a gift of Spirit, Almighty God. It functions from decision, not emotion. Joyful people choose to enjoy every step along life's journey, even if they don't always understand how things will work out. Joy partners with faith to deal with life's challenges in positive ways.

Passion - Passion is a multiplier. It inspires us to put more effort toward achieving our desires. And increased effort is a good indication of increased reward. Passion motivates us to sow our time, talent, education and money toward our dream(s). It leads us to volunteer, to get involved, to seek worthy outlets for our passion. It is a force that changes the world.

Honesty - Honesty is integrity and truthfulness. It creates trust and respect, valuable qualities in today's often deceptive world. Honesty acknowledges responsibility for our own words and actions. It demands discipline and self-control. Philippians 4:8 urges us to consider only what is true, honest, just, lovely and of good report. Truth does not bend - it either is or it isn't.

Compassion - Compassion, charity, love; this is the great commandment, the admonition from God to love one another. It is the basis of the Golden Rule. The God-kind of love is ruled by compassion for others, and is governed by choice, not emotion. It requires us to set aside our own (often selfish) wants in order to minister compassion to others. Love never fails, it gives.

Forgiveness -Forgiveness is critical for peace of mind. We cannot manifest compassion, joy, honesty or any of these other values while we cling to unforgiveness. As we forgive perceived hurts by the hands (or words) of others, our spirits open to receive peace and cleansing. At the same time, forgiveness ministers God's mercy to others, an essential element of goodness.

Spiritual Connectedness - Good people recognize the presence of God and desire fellowship with Him. God is Love, the Bible declares. God is good. All goodness originates in Him. We are created in His image and likeness. While every human being has the ability to be good, acknowledgment of our Divine connection multiplies our spiritual strength by tapping the Source. Our capacity to be good, to be a blessing, is rooted in our connection to God.

Commitment - Commitment encompasses discipline, vision, responsibility and respect. It supports and sustains our dedication to the values we hold. Commitment is essential to 'stay the course', to make decisions that are true to our core values rather than what feels good at the moment. Our example is Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Values help society function. They help relationships run smoothly. They control our work ethic, our social lives and our peace of mind. If we violate our personal values, the result is guilt, lack of satisfaction, unhappiness, and loss of self-esteem. If we persist in ignoring or undermining those values, it leads to depression, anger, jealousy, callousness and even hatred.

Our values are not fully developed unless we choose to do so. Each starts as a seed, an idea, a desire to live and act a certain way. With practice, those values develop into an internal operating system. Our conscience is the gatekeeper.

Good values are consistent with our desire to be good people who live good lives. They align with our individual personalities to help us become the best person we can be.