When Values Are Clear, Decisions Are Easy

In an ancient kingdom known for its splendour and wisdom, there lived a noble king whose greatest treasure was not his crown, his armies, nor his wealth, but his only daughter. She was a princess whose beauty was matched by her kindness and intelligence. Her presence lit the palace like the glow of a thousand lanterns, and suitors from every distant land sought her hand.

But the king was not swayed by status or charm. He understood that marriage was not an ornament of romance; it was a lifelong partnership requiring virtue, strength, and character. After long reflection, he chose three remarkable young men as candidates.

The first was a famed physician whose healing skill was unmatched. He restored sight to the blind, cured incurable diseases, and was honoured as a man whose compassion ran as deep as his knowledge.

The second was a warrior-archer, disciplined and fierce, able to strike a hundred targets with a hundred arrows. Legends said he could protect an entire city with nothing but his bow.

The third was an excellent swimmer with unmatched water skills. His words stirred crowds, and his swimming strength made him swift and courageous.

To determine who was worthy of the princess, the king devised a simple test.

“The first to reach my daughter and embrace her,” he announced, “shall become her husband.”

The rules were clear. The princess stood in a marked circle. The three suitors waited at a hundred meters' distance. The crowd gathered with excitement.

At the king’s signal, the race began.

But before a single man reached halfway, the sky darkened. A massive eagle — wings wide as a storm cloud — swooped down, seized the princess in its talons, and soared into the heavens.

The courtyard erupted in panic.

The archer reacted instantly. His breath steadied, his eyes narrowed, and an arrow flew. It struck the eagle’s wing with perfect precision. With a cry, the wounded bird released the princess.

She fell, unconscious, toward a raging river below.

The swimmer didn’t hesitate. He plunged into the icy current, cutting through the water with powerful strokes. He reached her just in time, pulling her fragile body to shore. The people cheered — but she still did not breathe.

Then the physician knelt beside her. With calm hands and profound knowledge, he worked swiftly. Moments later, the princess gasped — life returned, colour blooming back into her face. The crowd wept with relief.

But an argument rose almost immediately.

“The physician saved her life!” many shouted.

“No, the swimmer rescued her from drowning!” argued others.

“And without the archer, she would have died in the sky!” added more.

Each claim was valid. Each man had played a vital role. The debate grew into a storm.

Then the king lifted his hand, and silence swept across the courtyard.

“Before this began,” he said, “I gave one condition:

The one who first embraces the princess shall win her hand.”

The people looked at the swimmer, the first to hold her in his arms.

The decision was clear.

The rule was set beforehand.

There was nothing left to debate.

THE LESSON

This is more than a story about a princess — it is a story about life.

The king’s clarity gave him peace.

He had already decided on his criteria before the crisis.

Because his values were set, his decision was simple.

Many people suffer not because decisions are impossible, but because values were never defined before the decision arrived.

Life becomes confusing when we drift:

• choosing careers based on money instead of purpose,

• relationships based on attraction instead of commitment,

• habits based on comfort instead of character,

• morality based on pressure instead of conviction.

But when values are clear, decisions are easy.

If you decide beforehand that honesty matters, you won’t lie when tempted.

If you decide beforehand that purity matters, you won’t be swayed by peer pressure.

If you decide beforehand that God comes first, the world’s noise won’t drown your clarity.

Jesus said, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” (Matthew 6:33 - NLT).

That is a value set in advance.

And it simplifies everything that follows.

The king didn’t waver because he had already chosen what mattered most.

So must we.

Define your values now before the eagle swoops, before the river rages, before life demands choices you aren’t prepared to make.

Because when values are clear, decisions are easy.

Jackie Vuong