Living the virtuous life is not for the faint of heart Part 1

Living the virtuous life is not for the faint of heart

Part 1/3

Having returned from speaking at the High School Retreat in Cameroon last week I thought it would be beneficial to publish the essence of my talks on this blog.  I might as well get as much mileage out of them as I can.  

My topic for the evening was “Becoming a Man/Woman of Virtue”.  Virtue is not a word you hear much about these days.  It seems unattainable and maybe even undefinable.  Why strive for something that you can’t ever reach?  Or can we?

Theme Verse: Philippians 4:8,9 

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

So, here’s a command to be virtuous.  I’d say it’s not optional.  So, how do we go about it and what does it look like when we’ve achieved it?  And does it just mean being a ‘goody-two-shoes’?

I want to take the virtue of “TRUTH” and figure out what it means to be one who lives according to the truth and is actually a person of truth.  Of course, we must define it first: First of all it’s objective and not affected by opinion or feeling.  Consider gravity or a compass heading of North - you may argue but you will lose...painfully.  It’s not relative.  I cannot decide what is ‘true’ for me and ‘true’ for you.  That’s nonsense...but popular today.

I could get all philosophical and examine ‘truth’ down through the ages, but I just want to address it in the simplest of terms.  Are we liars or truth-tellers?  Do we withhold truth or cover truth up with fabrications?  Do we work so hard to disguise truth that we don’t know what it is anymore?  And to coin a popular phrase of the day, “How’s that workin’ for ya?”

If we can agree that telling the truth and living according to truth is a virtue , what will happen if I choose this path?

• I will face opposition 
• Someone is always trying to hide the truth and being a truth-teller may reveal enemies you didn’t even know about.

• You’ve got nothing to hide.
• Mark Twain said, “If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”

• People will trust you
• -Proverbs 12:19 “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only for a moment.”  

• Reverse that....whom do you trust?  What is their reputation?

• Health - people who tell the truth are healthier - studies have shown that truth-tellers actually live longer and have less stress

• A right relationship with God
• John 3:21, “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”

To live the opposite is to put yourself in direct contention with the people in your life and God.  And I’m not just talking about the big truths in our lives, but the every day little truths...if there is such a thing.  Do you lie about your weight, taxes, expense accounts, time spent on a project, excuses for missed work, missing appointments, etc.  

Come clean today and be a man or woman of truth and see if your health doesn’t improve.  Lastly, understand that the words that come out of our mouths not only determine our destiny but directly affect all of those with whom we come in contact.  No one lives in a vacuum.

 Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent?
    Who may live on your holy mountain?

The one whose walk is blameless,
    who does what is righteous,
    who speaks the truth from their heart;

whose tongue utters no slander,
    who does no wrong to a neighbor,
    and casts no slur on others;

Psalm 15:1-3