{Guest blogger, Jonah Engler}
No matter how “religious” one may be, it may be pressed to find better rules of a happy life than are found in the Ten Commandments. Even if you skip past the deeply sacred nature and just teach most of these rules, you cannot go far wrong. Start by not worshiping false idols – knowing what is important for you and your family makes a good start – do you want them to seek love and the greatest of human attributes or only be after fame, fortune, and a good time every moment.
Benjamin Disraeli shared the concept that, “No success in public life can compensate for failure in the home.” Walt Disney expressed the same thought with, “A man should never neglect his family for business.” And the Ten Commandments teach us to honor our father and mother – while Proverbs stresses that parents need to raise up a child with good so they will not stray far from it.
Next is the Sabbath, and as an entrepreneur, sometimes breaks are necessary. Doing so gives you a chance to find balance and refocus your life. If every seventh day you choose to spend some time in deep thought, showing extra gratitude for all you enjoy and doing something good for others – these choices will enrich your week and your life. They will also remind your family they too need to step back from the frenetic pace of our times.
Then there are the societal laws stated in the Ten Commandments – the ones that help us remain a free and caring people – Do not kill, steal, lie, covet, or tear apart your family – or another. These are what we do, what we learn to do – usually within the walls of our homes where mothers and fathers watch over their children with love. There’s a great Jewish proverb that says, “Gd could not be everywhere, so he created mothers.” Parenting is not easy, but it is the greatest blessing ever offered us by the Father of us all.
Our lives are filled with good and bad – they will ever be so. No matter how well you follow good teachings and principles, you are going to hit rough patches along the way. Living a balanced and happy life is not about everything being great all the time. It is about who you are, who you know you strive to be, and what others see in who you are by the choices you make. Reputation in business and life is built one decision at a time, even when times are hard. Teaching integrity is so much about allowing your family, friends, and business associates to see those choices as you go about the business of living your life. And integrity will leave you standing tall in any crowd.
(Jonah Engler is an entrepreneur – whose favorite title is “Dad.”)