Read

Proverbs 4:20-27

Ponder the path of your feet;
    then all your ways will be sure.
Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
    turn your foot away from evil.
Proverbs 4:26-27

Reflect

Each year, a group called the Ethics and Compliance Initiative publishes reports on ethics and compliance in the workplace, and the findings provide a pretty good snapshot of our culture. Recent reports have shown troubling trends:

• Employees report feeling pressure to compromise their standards, and that pressure often seems to be even greater among those in management.
• A significant number of employees say they have witnessed various types of misconduct in the workplace, including management lying to employees.
• Many employees who report misconduct say they have experienced retaliation after making their reports.

While these trends aren’t exactly encouraging, you don’t have to look far to see why things like this are happening.

• Only about one in five Americans say they attend church every week, while nearly a third say they never go to church.
• Only about one in 10 Americans say they use the Bible daily, while well over a third say they never use it.

One of the historic foundations of ethics, especially in Western culture, has been Christianity. But when people have little understanding of what the Lord has to say about how people should treat each other, it’s no wonder that our standards weaken year by year. It’s the Bible that tells us to:

• Treat other people like we would want to be treated. (Matthew 7:12)
• Love our neighbors as ourselves. (Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:39 and Mark 12:31)
• Not oppress widows, orphans and people unlike ourselves. (Jeremiah 7:6)
• Honor our parents, not murder, not cheat on our spouse, not steal, not lie and not jealously desire what other people have, which often leads to stealing, lying and killing. (Exodus 20:2-17)

People who walk closely with Jesus Christ should manifest godly ethics. The two things ought to go hand in hand. The further we get away from God and His purposes, the less ethical we will tend to be. As we approach the celebration of our country’s independence, we may ask ourselves, “Will America ever again assume the position of leadership in the world?” The answer to that question is connected to whether we, individually, will be a positive example to those around us.

Deuteronomy 28 was spoken to Israel under the covenant God made with His people, so we should be careful about applying it too directly to our own nation. But the principle still reminds us that obedience to the Lord matters, and that nations, communities, families and individuals are stronger when they walk in His ways.

“…if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 28:1-2)

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Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt and Charles Fulton

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.