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Sierra Joy Richardson

Mrs. Paige

Service Learning Period 3

22 March 2017

My Personal Code of Ethics

I have a strong belief system that is based on the Christian beliefs in which I was raised.

My beliefs today have been affected by the way my parents have raised me, but I also know that

these core foundational beliefs have become my own because I have further developed what I

understand about the world. As I navigate world issues and dilemmas in my own life, the Bible

has become my guide in learning how to process and deal with the moral dilemmas that I

encounter throughout my life. Specifically, there are three aspects of my belief system that have

affected the way I live my life: my identity in Christ, love, and gratitude.

Before addressing any other aspect of my belief system, its essential to understand that

my identity comes from Jesus Christ alone. This concept was always deeply rooted in who I was,

but as I grew older, I came to recognize the absolute truth of this and have learned that my worth

and purpose are determined by the sacrifice that Jesus made for me on the cross. God created

humanity in his own image, but there was a separation between man and God after the fall of

Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Each human has characteristics that are of Gods nature

even though it has been tainted by the sin that has entered the world, but Jesus atoned for all the

sins of the world when he died on the cross and ultimately conquered death when he rose from

the grave. Now the gap between God and man has been bridged by Christ, and I am to live from

this reality of Gods great love for me. The world places identity on ones interests, job, or status,
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among other superficial things. I know however that I am empowered to embrace these aspects

of myself because my identity is rooted in what Christ has done for me. This foundational truth is

the root of every other value I hold dear.

As a follower of Christ, I have been called to truly love God and love people so that they

may know the love that God has for them. I live by a simple saying that My purpose in life is to

share Gods love by loving other people with a love that is greater than me. I believe this so

strongly because God has made it clear that this is his heart for people and specifically how I am

supposed to live my life. Gods love is so profoundly indescribable, and He simply desires to be

in relationship with people. This truth about Gods love has transformed who I am, and I desire

to share this amazing reality with others. As I am in relationship with the people I encounter

throughout my life, I desire to love them in the same way that God does. Although this is

humanly impossible because I am not even able to fully comprehend the magnitude of Gods

love, God continues to give me revelation about who He is and empowers me to love like Him as

I grow in my relationship with Him.

Finally, because I am grounded in who Christ has created me to be and what my purpose

is in this life, I am able to be grateful for everything in my life. I believe its important for me to

have a mindset of being content with where I am in life so that I can be reminded of what is truly

worth focusing on in this life. I know that God has given me free will to make my own

discernments and decisions, but that He is still able to guide me on the plan He has for my life.

That gives me great comfort and a balanced mindset to perceive what happens in my life with a

heart of genuine gratitude. There are horrible atrocities that happen in this world because of the

imperfection after the fall in the Garden of Eden, and it has been difficult to watch as close
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friends of mine have had to struggle with death and sickness in their life. I know that Gods heart

is devastated by the pain that they have gone through, but that He is still in control and that He is

good. I can rest in this truth and be grateful for who He is and the love He has showered over His

creation.

Its quite obvious to see that I am profoundly influenced by my relationship with God and

that it has affected every aspect of my life. There are people that reject the existence of God, so

my entire belief system would seem ridiculous to some. I have put my faith in who God is, and

although I may question certain aspects of the Bible or other philosophical concepts, I only grow

deeper in my relationship with God as I contemplate on those ideas. I will continue to progress

and learn as I grow older, but I strongly believe in these foundational values and will continue to

live from my identity in Christ, which empowers me to love others as He loves and be grateful

about my life.