arcpy: Sort a separated value into an order

sortValues.py

def sortValues(the_value, delimiter=','):
    """Sort a separated value into an order
    Useful to run on ArcGIS processes where there is no control on returned values.
    For example SpatialJoin, JOIN_ONE_TO_ONE, with FieldMapping Merge Rule = Join
    """
    if the_value == None:
        return the_value

    # Create a Python list by splitting the string on the delimeter
    the_list = the_value.split(delimiter)

    # Sort the list
    the_list.sort()

    # Reassemble the string from the sorted list
    rval = delimiter.join(the_list)
    return rval