Saturday, December 4, 2010

act like a man

We are considering the teaching of the outspoken fisherman, turned apostle,  Peter in his second letter.  He instructs the reader to add several qualities of living to their saving faith.  There is life after faith...there is life with faith...there is a quality of life that reflects the presence of faith.  The first quality Peter says to add (from 1 Peter 1:5) is "virtue".   Other translations use "goodness", "good character", "moral excellence", "integrity", "worthiness".  The Amplified translation has the following descriptors of virtue in parentheses ("excellence, resolution, Christian energy").  Virtue has its origin in Latin:  virtutem : "moral strength, manliness, valor, excellence, worth," from vir "man" (see virile).  Apparently the three letter word "vir" means "man, hero, man of courage" in Latin.  This is the same root that forms "virile".  Virile is a word that most men like to relate to .  It means "masculine, manly, strong, energetic and forceful".  Thank you for allowing me to indulge my love for words.  I think that the Latin gives us a clue to the core of the concept.  To be virtuous is to have a strength of character as distinguished from physical strength. It reminds me of some familiar expressions: "act like a man", "be a man", or in John Wayne's terms, "a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do".   In today's lingo it would be to "man up".  I think virtue has to do with choosing the right way over the wrong way, when faced with choosing either way.  To live like a man...the way man was intended to live...means to choose the right way.  This is strength of character...not as obvious or impressive as physical strength to some, but the kind of strength that God has made us for.

Daniel 10:18 Then again, the one having the likeness of a man touched me and strengthened me. 19 And he said, "O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!" 
So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, "Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me." 

blessings,
Rob Smith

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