Choose Biblical Values: Build On What Will Last

by Dave Miller

The Core of Leadership

There’s a core understanding that builds the basis of everything we’re talking about when it comes to leadership—especially value-based leadership and decision-making.

At the center of all this is a question we must answer:

Where do you get your values from?

If we’re going to advocate for habit stacking, long-term continual diligence, and compounding contributions in the way compound interest works—then we must make sure that the values underneath those actions are actually going to produce the results we expect.

What’s at Stake: Why the Foundation Matters

We believe that the small parts—the daily habits, the consistent efforts, the repeated investments—add up over time. But there’s no guarantee of success. That’s the risk, and that’s what makes this such a hard choice to commit to on the front end.

If we’re going to put all our eggs in the basket of value-based decision-making, habit stacking, and continual diligence, then we’d better make sure the basket itself is strong enough to carry the weight.

That leads us to the importance of where our values come from, and how we evaluate which values are truly worth building a life on.

The Need for Ancient Wisdom

We have to deal with Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Psalms, and Lamentations—the wisdom literature of Scripture. These are essential if we’re going to form a biblical argument for the kind of values that lead to lasting impact.

No one individual can determine the right values from personal opinion or limited experience. We need ancient wisdom. We need ancient literature. We need ancient customs. Why?

Because a person who’s 20 years old with five years of experience doesn’t have enough data to determine what works. Their opinion lacks the long-term weight we need for this kind of decision.

The data set must be larger. We need something tested across generations.

Learning the Hard Way

When someone is young, they tend to chase quick success. When someone is older, they look back and say, “I wish I had been diligent.” The person who invests consistently and slowly over time is usually the one who ends up winning.

That’s what financial experts say over and over again. But for a young person, that idea is hard to grasp. They don’t want to wait. And that’s the heart of the issue.

The desire to “get there now” will always feel stronger than the discipline to build toward “getting there later.” But if you try to get there now by skipping the foundation, you’ll eventually be forced to go back and do the work you avoided.

Which Values Are Worth the Investment?

So the question becomes:

What values can we put our stock in, knowing they will bring the return we’re expecting?

We must make a biblical argument for the values found in:

• The wisdom literature

  
  

• The New Testament

  
  

• The covenants of God

  
  

• The people of God

  
  

These guide where we should invest our lives.

The truth is, we can’t rely on our own experience to determine what works. We have to be told. We have to look to people wiser than us, and truth bigger than us.

Trusting the Designer of the World

If the God of the universe is telling us how His world works and what He expects, we should assume that following His pattern will lead to better outcomes.

Proverbs offers supernatural wisdom—habits, behaviors, character, and patterns that, generally speaking, lead to success over time. This is about long obedience in the same direction.

We must trust that what we’re investing in now will produce what God says it will.

But what happens when it doesn’t?

• Job shows us how to respond when it fails.

  
  

• Ecclesiastes gives perspective when it works but doesn’t satisfy.

  
  

• Lamentations teaches us to grieve and endure when nothing makes sense.

  
  

• Song of Solomon celebrates joy and covenantal love.

  
  

• Psalms captures the emotional journey of faith through it all.

  
  

It all becomes a matter of faith.

The Role of Faith in Choosing Values

So how do we make an argument for biblical values from a faith perspective?

No one really knows with absolute certainty what will work—unless their authority is grounded in something bigger than themselves. You may trust your own experiences, or someone else’s advice, or the revealed Word of God. But either way, you’re putting faith in someone.

And if you trust yourself alone, you must then test the validity of your experiences—and that can’t be empirically verified.

You can always explain values away through examples or anecdotes that “prove your point,” but those will always have exceptions. So faith must play a part. And the question becomes:

Where do we find long-term data and credible wisdom that’s actually stood the test of time?

Scripture provides that. The Christian life, viewed across the arc of biblical history, proves that God’s way works out over time.

Redefining Success

To embrace biblical values, we must redefine what success means.

If we use a worldly definition of success, then worldly values will always be our default. Trying to live by biblical values while chasing worldly success will create constant conflict—and leave you feeling like you’re failing.

You can’t reach a worldly goal with biblical tools. The value system of Scripture was never meant to build this kingdom—it builds the kingdom of God.

Three Reasons to Choose Biblical Values

1. They are revealed by God.

   
   

   If the Creator has given them, then they carry more weight than any human opinion.

   
   

2. They are tested through time.

   
   

   The long-term fruit of biblical living can be seen throughout history, generation after generation.

   
   

3. They build better societies.

   
   

   Scripture-based values—when lived out—lead to strong families, hard work, moral clarity, and flourishing communities.

   
   

These are strong arguments, not just for value-based living in general, but for choosing the right values to build your life on.

Conclusion: Build on What Will Last

You are building something—whether you realize it or not. Your daily habits, decisions, and leadership direction are being shaped by the values you hold. The key is to make sure your values are worth building on.

• Don’t settle for assumptions.

  
  

• Don’t rely solely on experience.

  
  

• Don’t chase results without a foundation.

  
  

Choose the value system that was designed by the One who designed you. Build your habits and your life on what is true, eternal, and wise.

Because in the end, it’s not just about getting somewhere.

It’s about becoming someone.