We have a set of core values. Honesty, respect.

The words of Urban Meyer—“We have a set of core values. Honesty, respect”—are brief, yet they resound with the gravity of ancient principles that have guided humanity since its earliest days. For though kingdoms rise and empires fall, though inventions change the face of the world, it is the eternal values that shape the spirit of man and preserve the harmony of community. Without them, power collapses into tyranny, wealth dissolves into corruption, and even the strongest teams or nations crumble into ruin.

The ancients knew that honesty was the root of trust. A man’s word, once spoken, was to be his bond. In the marketplaces of Athens and the battlefields of Sparta, in the councils of Rome and the temples of Jerusalem, deceit was seen not merely as weakness but as poison to the soul and to the city. A liar could gather wealth for a season, but he could not hold the respect of his people. Thus, Meyer’s invocation of honesty reminds us that truth is not a strategy, but a foundation upon which lasting greatness is built.

So too with respect. In every tradition, it is taught that the strong must honor the weak, the young must revere the old, and all must see the dignity of their fellow man. Without respect, teams become fractured, families fall apart, and nations descend into discord. History gives us the shining example of Abraham Lincoln, who despite fierce opposition, treated even his enemies with dignity. His refusal to degrade others, even in the midst of war, preserved not only his own honor but the very spirit of the Union. Respect does not weaken the strong; it makes their strength noble.

Urban Meyer, as a leader of men on the field of sport, understood that talent alone could not forge unity. A team bound only by skill is fragile, but a team bound by values is unbreakable. The gridiron may seem far removed from the councils of kings, but the principle is the same: victory requires more than strategy and strength. It requires honesty between brothers and respect for one another’s place in the struggle. For when trust is broken or dignity denied, the whole collapses, no matter how mighty the parts.

The warning in his words is clear: without these core values, no system, no family, no group can endure. History is filled with fallen empires that neglected truth, and leaders despised because they failed to honor their people. The ancient walls of Babylon and the ruins of Rome whisper this lesson still: strength without honesty, power without respect, is doomed to perish.

The lesson for us is timeless: let every man and woman guard these values in the smallest of things. Speak truth even when it is costly. Show respect even when it is difficult. In the workplace, on the field, at the hearth—let your life testify to these principles. For though talent and fortune may lift you for a season, only values will sustain you through trial.

Therefore, let Meyer’s words echo in our hearts as both reminder and command: “We have a set of core values. Honesty, respect.” Let us live by them as the ancients lived by their laws, as warriors lived by their codes, as families lived by their honor. For in these simple, eternal truths lie the seeds of greatness, and in them we find not only victory in the struggles of life, but the peace of a conscience that walks upright before both man and God.