The question whether it is all about money has been answered with a huge negative. The list of things determined by money tend to be cursory and irrelevant to the way lives are lived.
Money has its purposes and there is a plethora of banking services to assist individuals with the purchasing of a place to live, money for rental accommodation, income stream for groceries, a motor vehicle or public transport to get around and such like.
The public purse also needs money and from that source we get hospitals, roads, services, the military, airports, railways, government, social securities and similar agencies which oversees business and the like.
These are mostly tangible things which we can see and touch, rather the intangibles are relational and personal and these deal with how we treat other people, the hurts and anguishes, one to one friendships, the loss of bereavements, and it is these that make life pleasant and enjoyable.
This is a cursory list – these are bible 101 in how we respond to each other – not Salvation issues, rather relationships.
Manners
What is wrong with good manners – today it seems as if manners no longer matter. One does not push in to the front of the line at the Post Office, the Bank, the theatre, the movies, or other Public place. Saying thankyou and please is a lost cause in some sections of our society, and such pleasantries should be a vital part of any cultural sensitivities sessions for those moving to Australia.
Morals
This is a touchy issue in Australian society. What basic moral code does the society live by? What is public morality as opposed to personal morality. Morals have only a small component associated with sexual issues, rather morals reflect the way we behave and speak and what philosophy of life we hold to. If we think stealing is okay, how does that sit with the morals of the nation where stealing is a criminal offence and individual face great emotional and property loss when theft occurs.
Respect
Where doers respect come from? Primarily from our parents attitudes. Some years ago now a Christian School deputy principal told me that the influence from home is the determining aspect of a students behaviour, attitudes and values for living. A solicitor recently told me that their experience of the courts is that so many young people who get into serious trouble have a core lack of respect.
Character
What is good character? Can it be bought at the supermarket? What constitutes good character. It's not necessarily detrimental to good character when something goes wrong in your every day life and our of sheer exasperation you say something you later regret. Good character is associated with your personhood over many years and as such when such an item of such value is put in jeopardy much heartbreak comes from your mother and disbelief from your father (father figure).
Common Sense
My wife Delma of 39 years was given a hearty dose of common sense. Delma has stood our family in steadfast wisdom with her common sense. College diploma or university degree she has none, but in the great accounting hall in common sense Delma has a double, sorry a triple doctoral dissertation with five oak-leaves. Those without such a blessing of common sense might do well to team up with someone who has.
Trust
To lose someone's trust is like losing your bestest - bestest friend. Recovering trust is horrendous. Rebuilding trust is fraught with difficulties. Trust is sacred. Trust is true friendship. Trust is knowing when you return, it will be as it was before you left. Trust encapsulates security and safety and heart. Companies spend millions on ensuring their customers have their trust. Politicians get tossed out if they break the trust of their constituents. The marriage bed is all about trust.
Patience
Churches with a balanced ages congregation including elderly people is the ideal mix for children and young people to help develop the essence of patience. Patience involves us in every area of life, and consider how cross we get when a bank transfer is delayed, or a department store attendant is slack, or a painful customer is ahead of you in whatever .... It's rather good I think that God is so patient with us with our sinful nature, attitudes and behaviour.
Class
One of my favourite British television programs of four decades ago when in my twenties was "Class Act". The story line involves an English super wealthy aristocratic family with daddy, now a bit slow physically, but still as sharp as, and daughter who marries and he takes off with crooked boodle, leaving them all in the soup. She does a stint in the clink and when out, teams up with a street wise (with strong convict tendencies) Australian lass .... it's a class act.
Integrity
No one is able to retain their integrity spotless, every family knows this all to well where justice reigns supreme even over slice of cake portions. But integrity in business is paramount, integrity in the work place, with relationships, in sport, on the farm, whatever and wherever. Ever tried asking the supermarket person which isle might be found the jar of integrity.
Love
For God so loved the world he gave His only begotten Son ..... Love affects us from the cradle to the death bed. A baby requires oodles of love, even spitting and slobbering great aunt's kisses, being loved growing up, into adolescence, teenage years, young adult, all the way through life. As a 64 year old, there is nothing quite like being told by our each of our four children, that their dad is loved by them.
Loves overcomes. Love looks past. Love disciplines. Love has an aching heart. Love has an in-describable joy. Love is looking into someone's eyes. Love comes from God. I Corinthians 13 defines what love is. God is Love.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html