Godly Character Quality #20: Virtue!

Virtue vs. Impurity: The moral excellence and purity of spirit that radiate from my life as I obey God's Word. - 2 Peter 1:5

Wisdom is knowing what to do next... Virtue is doing it!

You have to be committed to purity and good character to have virtue. To live your life by God's Word and not Man's Word.

Last night, as I was reading my Bible in Luke, I came across something that jumped out at me. I've read it thousands of times, and I've always liked it, but last night I felt like I really understood.

"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up.

 Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.

 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants.

 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 

- Luke 8:5-8

"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.

Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.

The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

- Luke 8:11-15

It's not always easy to be a good person of good character. Some people mean well. They want to follow God, but they don't have any real solid commitment to hold onto when times are tough.

Other people don't have the power to be virtuous. They desire to be close to God, but they don't know how to live out his Word and apply his principles. They have wisdom to know what to do... they just don't have the strength and virtue to do it.

Virtue is an important part of godly character. Actions speak louder than words. I can log onto my blog and tell you guys about becoming a good, godly person. But if we don't have the virtue, the actual act of applying these character qualities, then we have nothing!

Blessings!