Christian Values, Are They to Be Above All Humane?

When I began to think about what does it mean to distinguish Christian values from the mainstream public or American values, I had to admit that the real difference would play out with how one understands faith, politics, and God's intervention in life.

Most eveangelicals believe that God answers prayer, that He desires all to come to know Him, that Christian faith is an exclusive faith. Because of the faith's exclusivity, there should definately be a distinction between the "world and the Church".

But, what if the Christian understands their faith within the broader context of life itself? There is no attempt to maintain boundaries of separation to distintify, but the desire to address what it means to be humane. Instead of a diligence to be different, there is more focus on identification. Character should identify God's people more than an experience in the past or an interpretaion of Scripture.

Character is defined by attributes of personality. Are Christians most identified with integrity, honesty, kindness, justice, equalability, compassion, love, encouragement, hope, humility, goodness, mercy, etc. How are these character traits developed? They are developed within the confines of our everyday life where we seek wisdom for the day in our encounters with others. We share whatever wisdom we think we have, always knowing that we are limited and can learn.

Would the "world" be a better place if there were more people that adhered to the values of character rather than the values of success, in however that is defined?