Family Values in the Bible: 3 Examples to Build Your Family On

Most of us want good family values that are true and lasting, but what actually makes a value worth building a foundation on? Stories throughout all of Scripture help answer this. We read of people and families who reflect God's character through the values they live out and pass on. Their stories show what family values look like in practice, and how when practiced consistently, they can change generations.

As we see in Scripture, values are meant to be long-lasting and multi-generational. They’re meant to set patterns in your home that shape your family today and the families after you, ones you may never meet.

Below are three family values lived out in Scripture. Use them as a starting point as you consider ideas of values you want to define your own family for generations to come.

EXAMPLES OF FAMILY VALUES IN THE BIBLE

VALUES IN THE BIBLE EXAMPLE #1: OBEDIENCE

The Book of Joshua picks up right after Moses has died, with Israel ready to enter the Promised Land. From the very first chapter, Joshua's call as the new leader is clear: obedience.

The battle of Jericho, shortly after Israel crosses the Jordan, puts that obedience on full display. God tells Joshua to do something that feels strange at first: to go into battle by marching around the city for seven days, carrying the ark, and trusting that God will deliver His people. Despite much confusion and uncertainty, Joshua obeyed and he led Israel to obey. On the seventh day, the walls fell and they won the battle.

We learn this from this story: To inherit what God has promised, His people have to trust and obey.

As a family value, obedience means following God together even when His direction feels unclear or uncomfortable. It means choosing to trust Him in a way that Joshua did at Jericho. It's not just one decision but a posture you keep. A family that values obedience deeply believes that God can be trusted, and this is passed on to the next generations.

VALUES IN THE BIBLE EXAMPLE #2: GENEROSITY

The story of Joseph is filled with family conflict, betrayal, confusion, and pain. But it’s also full of hope and redemption through generosity.

Joseph was the youngest of his brothers, and was considered the “favorite”. His brothers, jealous of this, ended up selling him off to slavery in Egypt.

Joseph endured years of suffering, including time spent in prison, but God was always with him. This became especially tangible when he was eventually appointed to second-in-command over all of Egypt.

When famine spread across the land, Joseph was well cared for. However, many others in the land were scared and hungry. His brothers ended up traveling to Egypt to beg for food. When they presented their case before Joseph, they didn’t recognize him. Joseph eventually revealed his identity to them and did something radical: he gave to them generously. He gave them food for the journey, the best land in Egypt for their families, and a promise to sustain them through the years of famine still to come.

A lesson from this story: We give generously because God gives generously to us.

As a family value, generosity is a posture of open hands. It's more than money or things. Like Joseph’s story, a generous family gives freely: of their resources, their time, their forgiveness. When generosity shapes your family, you learn that what you have is meant to be shared and passed on to those around you and after you.

VALUES IN THE BIBLE EXAMPLE #3: LOYALTY

The Book of Ruth opens in grief. Both Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, have lost their husbands. When Naomi decides to return home to Israel, she urges Ruth to go back to her own family and build a new, comfortable life.

Instead, Ruth shows her loyalty to Naomi, choosing to stay with her and trusting that God will lead and provide for them. In Israel, Ruth eventually met Boaz, a relative of Naomi's who became their family redeemer. Ruth and Boaz married and had a son named Obed. He ended up being the grandfather of King David, who is a part of the lineage that eventually leads to Jesus.

From this story we learn: Small acts of loyalty become part of something far bigger than us.

As a family value, loyalty means staying committed to one another through hard seasons, just as Ruth showed up for Naomi when leaving would have been simpler. A family that values loyalty makes a promise: we show up for each other.

FAMILY VALUES MAKE A LASTING IMPACT

These three examples are only a starting point. Scripture offers a nearly endless list of family values to live by.

What do you hope is true of your family when others look at you? By taking the first step and defining your values today, you begin building something so much bigger. You begin creating a family that knows what it stands for across generations.

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What values is God placing on your heart? Get started with these Family Values Prompts to begin building your family’s foundation today.