Our Core: Faith and Honor

*This is the first of four posts that  will be coming out that are all about our company values!  I am always impressed that so many of you have all 7 values memorized (Faith, Honor, Freedom, Generosity, Excellence, Trustworthiness, and Community).  We wanted to take the time to expand on our values and show how they operate in our culture.

Core

The definition of CORE is the central or most important part of something. That is how we see Faith and Honor in our culture. They are at the center of everything we do and strive to be. All of our other values are rooted here.

Pursuing faith looks like believing in people wherever they are at in their journey. It is positioning yourself in your mind and in your heart to believe in the impossible.   Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.” Sometimes it’s hard to see what is on the other side of our choices. It requires faith.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Recently, when I was in San Jose working on the Speak Truth project, I had the opportunity to spend some time with of our clients. I asked her to pick one word that most described her. She chose faithful. In dialoging with her about this particular word, it became apparent her belief system and her faith sustain her. It is what carries her through every choice. It’s her light at the end of the tunnel. She has found the thing that keeps her moving forward everyday.

When we believe in people, it is not hard to honor them. It is not hard to be kind and loving towards them. We do it because we know they matter and they have a purpose. Honoring others is a way we can pour into each other’s buckets. I can honor the co-worker that comes in after me, by cleaning above and beyond what is expected. I can honor myself, by speaking positively over my life.

Choosing in Every Moment

Faith and Honor actually require something of me. Firstly, it requires that I know myself. Do I know what’s important to me and what I believe in? We all have things we believe in whether we are aware of it or not: love, hope, truth, family, money, fun, etc. Secondly, it requires that I choose in every moment (big or small) to operate out of my belief.  I know I believe in love, but am I operating in love as I am being confronted by this difficult person?

Faith and honor are not always the easy choice. If you are anything like me, then you may find yourself having to re-learn these concepts from time to time.   We navigate through circumstances on a daily basis requiring hard choices. They challenge what we believe and the values we have. This is why it is imperative that “our core” is solid. This doesn’t mean we won’t struggle or have a bad day. What it means is that no matter what happens or what is going on around me, I can stand strong and with my head held high. My strength comes from the unshakeable belief in the good things this life has to offer.