In the movie, “Wicked,” I was struck by a line Elphaba said to Glenda. Paraphrased as, “People need someone to call wicked so they can believe they are good.” Elphaba realizes she doesn’t become wicked—she’s named “wicked”—because Oz needs a villain to preserve its sense of goodness.
If our world view is based upon something being wicked so we can recognize the good, all we have to do is look at the creation account of Adam, Eve and the serpent. However, Adam and Eve could have saved themselves a lot of pain and hardship if they had truly recognized the evil for what it was and made a personal decision to turn away from the temptation.
Life gives us many opportunities to make choices to distinguish right from wrong, good from evil and even best from better. How do we make those decisions? I propose those decisions should be based on our core values, which is based upon our world view. So how does religion play a part in our world view?
Religion, World View and Animal House
World View Core Value as a Foundation
How to Build Values with Faith as a Foundation
The author David Barton frequently describes two different worldviews. One is a biblical worldview and the other is a secular, humanistic worldview. A biblical worldview begins with the belief that God exists as Creator and moral authority, and that truth is objective because it is grounded in His character and revealed in Scripture. In this framework, human beings possess inherent dignity because they are created in the image of God, and rights are understood to be God-given rather than granted by government. As Barton explains in his book, Original Intent: The Courts, the Constitution, and Religion this perspective holds that government’s primary role is to secure pre-existing, God-given rights rather than redefine them. This worldview is what much of our U.S. Constitution is based upon.
By contrast, a secular or humanistic worldview locates authority primarily in human reason, culture, or collective consensus rather than divine revelation. Truth and morality are often viewed as relative, shaped by societal development and evolving ethical frameworks. Human dignity is grounded in shared humanity or social contract rather than divine image-bearing, and rights are typically understood as constructed or defined through political systems and legal agreements. James W. Sire, in his book, The Universe Next Door, describes secular humanism is the belief that reality is explained only by the natural world, and that human beings themselves decide what is right, meaningful, and purposeful.
To build values with faith as a foundation, we begin by anchoring our decisions in the belief that truth is not self-created but discovered through alignment with God’s character and principles. A faith-based framework reminds us that every person carries inherent dignity, that leadership is stewardship rather than dominance, and that integrity matters even when unseen. Instead of reacting to cultural shifts alone, we evaluate choices through enduring standards—asking not merely “What works?” but “What is right?” This is why our core values are so important. (see Appendix in Stop Circling) When faith shapes our worldview, our values become consistent, compassionate, and purpose-driven, influencing how we lead, serve, build organizations, and shape the future with both conviction and humility.
Process of Making Wise Decisions
Making wise decisions begins with anchoring ourselves in our core values — especially when faith, dignity, integrity, growth, and stewardship form that foundation. Instead of reacting emotionally or impulsively, we pause and ask: Does this align with who we say we are? If we’ve not done that, it’s time to do it now.
When our worldview affirms inherent human worth and accountability to something greater than ourselves, our decisions move beyond convenience or pressure. They’re also not based on guilt or a feeling of penance, just like what was demonstrated in the 2016 movie Burnt with Bradley Cooper, who lived with regret. We evaluate options through clarity of purpose, long-term impact, and character. Strong values act like guardrails—just like the bumpers in a bowling alley; they don’t eliminate the difficulty but keep our ball from drifting into the next lane with important boundaries.
Yet even with strong values, many of us feel stuck at times — uncertain of our next move, circling between fear and possibility. The difficulty often comes from competing priorities, external expectations, fatigue, or the fear of making the wrong choice. When we are unsure, we may confuse motion with progress or avoid decisions altogether. In those moments, returning to our core values restores direction. Instead of asking, What is the safest option? we ask, What aligns with our purpose? What reflects faith over fear? What honors long-term integrity over short-term relief? Values don’t remove uncertainty, but they provide a steady compass when the path forward feels unclear.
Application
Any time my allergies start really kicking in, I realize our home’s filters probably need changed. We have two main filters and when replacing, it’s amazing how much dirt is on them. This is a good illustration on how defining our worldview and regularly reviewing our core values filters decisions that would otherwise be clouded and unclear, just like those dirty filters.
When we are clear about what we believe to be true — about faith, human dignity, integrity, stewardship, and purpose — we create a filter through which every opportunity, challenge, and next step can be evaluated.
We don’t need a wicked character in Oz to preserve a sense of goodness. Instead of drifting with cultural pressure or making fear-based choices, we can move with intention. A well-defined worldview stabilizes us in seasons of uncertainty and sharpens our discernment, helping us distinguish between what is merely urgent and what is truly aligned. When our values are clear, our future decisions become more consistent, our confidence grows, and our next steps reflect purpose rather than confusion. Here are three steps to immediately apply:
Step One: Define what you believe.
Step Two: Review your core values.
Step Three: Let your worldview act as a compass.
Additional Resources
Goal Setting Worksheets-free download!
Hero Mountain Summit- a 5-month "Power of After" journey to help you answer "What's Next?" with your desired lifestyle & maximized skills and experience.
Power of After: What’s Next Can Be Your Most Purposeful Chapter by Deborah Johnson
Stop Circling: Steps to Escape Endless Roundabouts by Deborah Johnson
FREE Resources and links: https://GoalsForYourLife.com/DJWorks
YouTube Podcast Playlist: Women at Halftime/Power of After
Decisions should be based on our core values, which is based upon our world view.
deborah johnson
Thought Leader, Keynote Speaker, Author
If you are interested in growing and learning, check out our online courses here: Online Learning
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