If There Be Any Virtue

Monday, March 29, 2010

Praise the Lord, Chosen Women!

Philippians 4:8 ~ For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. (Amplified Bible)

I am a Sunday school teacher at our church. We use this wonderful teaching tool called Church Alive. This quarter the lessons focus on the subject Christian Principles. The topic for this week was "Virtue." Virtue is my favorite thing to teach on after the subject of salvation. Virtue is defined as excellence of character or moral goodness. After we meet the qualifications of salvation as given in the Holy Scriptures, then we must be about the business of living for God. The quality of this life in Christ is defined by the amount of virtue that we display or that we lack. God will constantly provide opportunities for us to grow and to increase in virtue. How we fare is literally a daily choice.

So many individuals are saved and call Jesus Christ their Lord. Yet as I grow older I see that virtue is not always synonymous with this saved status. If you do not have virtuous character we can only fake it for so long. The true you – the barometer of your moral goodness – will always show itself in time. And virtue will not just grow in us without nourishment, fertilization and pruning. We have to make up in our minds that we want to be a bright reflection of Christ by exhibiting Godly virtue. Even then it will be a fight. Subtle occasions to be unkind, inconsiderate, self-absorbed, stingy, mean, false, perverse, fleshly, cold or ignorant will present themselves. You will have to decide daily whether to act them out or not.

Giving our thought life to good things is one way to grow virtue in our lives. I prayed with a dear woman of God last night whose heart was hurt by a friend who chose to not demonstrate virtue. When we chose to abide in a higher moral code we cause the light of Christ to shine brighter upon those around us. It costs us  – but it is worth it. When we give in to flesh to be liked, noticed, acknowledged, paid, comfortable, in, popular, etc. we darken our surroundings through compromise. Make up in your mind to be that virtuous woman today and always, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

In Service for the Master,

Evangelist Lisa Y. Mitchell

P.S. Thank you to those that supported our Family Picture Event! Thank you for supporting Chosen Women!