Kingdom Principles

Kingdom Principles

are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3-10).

This particular portion of Jesus’ teaching is commonly known as the “Beatitudes,” or “blessed sayings,” from the Latin word beatus (blessed). We could even call them the “Be-attitudes” because they describe the way Kingdom citizens should “be” in character, atti tude, and behavior. Values are extremely powerful and form the foundation for behavior. They guide the people of a nation in identifying what behavior is acceptable or unacceptable. Whether explicitly stated or unspoken yet recognized, values form the foundation of nations and profoundly shape the lives and daily experiences of their citizens. Society depends on certain values in order to function, such as cooperation and honesty. Businesses also depend for their function on such values as integrity, honor, fairness, and kindness. 2. Priorities. Culture manifests itself in the things we regard as most important. In other words, whatever we prioritize in life reveals our culture. If we prioritize the sanctity of marriage, our culture will reflect it with laws, customs, and social norms that strongly discourage and even penalize divorce, adultery, and other “marriage busters.” Prioritizing the sanctity of human life will pro duce a culture that protects the elderly and the unborn and refuses to sanction the harvesting of human embryos for stem cell research. Jesus got right to the heart of priorities when He said: So do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:31-33).

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