“Men are born equal, free and are distinguished alone by virtue.” –Lorenzo de Zavala
“Every man and woman should consider the consequences of his or her actions, and those actions should be considered beforehand, not after.” –Louis L’Amour
What kind of virtues are seen in your life? It seems as though it is unpopular to be a person of virtue anymore. Speak the truth and you are derided. In fact, many make fun of those who seem to practice virtues or try to live according to God’s Word.
Armour Patterson wrote about the virtues of those who rode the range. His list included: courage, skills, toughness, endurance, work ethic, and honesty. He writes, “[these men] cared very much what was thought of them and how they measured up to the high standards of their unspoken code… A cowboy who failed to exhibit them would not hold a job for long.” Today we are full of excuses. “I’m only human,” or, “We all make mistakes.” Only those rare few are shamed when they don’t measure up, and then they work the harder to overcome that mark upon their lives.
Virtues must be important, or you might look at it as positive character traits that help you get through the obstacles of life. It must be important, just look at the following:
Peter: diligence, faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. (2 Peter 1:5-7, NKJV)
Paul: glory in tribulation, perseverance, character, hope. (Romans 5:2-4, NKJV)
Holy Spirit via Paul: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23, NKJV)
James: joy in trials, faith, patience, wisdom. (James 1:2-5, NKJV)
Now take these few terms and see if leaders you know exhibit them. Notice, these are positive traits, there are those lists that show negative traits. Maybe even more important, how are these being developed in your own life? We seem to be more concerned about enjoying life, having fun, and not get involved with the issues of life.
It is vital that we live the Word. How can we influence those around us unless we develop these traits? I understand that these are a lifetime in the development. The process in each of us is not necessarily easy, yet we are expected to display them.