While living in the Darien jungle of Panama, I clung to a promise in II Peter that encouraged me to keep on regardless of my sense of failure. It says, “His power has given me everything I need for life and godliness through my knowledge of Him who called me!” With the medical clinic, delivering babies at night, learning to clean and cook strange fowl, rodents, fish and meat, washing dozens of diapers in the river (with no dryer), learning a new language, meeting the needs of my husband and two little girls and acclimating to 90-degree heat with 99% humidity, etc… I found my level of spirituality severely challenged. Exhausted daily, I found the verses in II Peter to be a fresh breath of air on my dripping, over-heated soul and with it came a promise I intended to claim!
The provision was there to live “above my circumstances” and lead a godly life. I needed to tap into “His power” and as I kept reading, I realized His promises were attached to verse 5. They were given with clear and present instruction, IF I was to participate in His divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires…like giving in to my anger, disappointment, impatience, frustration, and believing the lies regarding my inability to accomplish the life-task He had called me to.
“For this very reason, I had to make every effort to add to my faith, goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For IF I possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep me from being ineffective and unproductive in the knowledge of my Lord Jesus Christ.” II Peter 1; 5-9 (Personalized)
Always looking for a functional definition to put “the rubber on the road”, I found these marks of Virtue. Virtue is the moral excellence and purity of spirit that radiates from the life that obeys God’s Word. II Peter 1: 5 It is learning to build personal moral standards that will cause others to desire a more godly life! That meant reproducing Christ’s character in my life first and then sharing with others.
Virtue is the fruit of grace as we are given light. There is no excuse not to exemplify God’s character in my life. I am to be an example…not an excuse! Virtue is the godly influence my life has on others regardless of past failures.
The opposite of virtue is Hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is the practice of a person who is willfully living in conflict with their soul (mind, will, emotions). Virtue is not made in crisis; it is only exhibited. Crisis reflects our virtue. “We demonstrate what we really are spiritually in times of adversity, not when things are going smoothly!” Proverbs 24: 10
Years ago, I was teaching a group of college girls in our home and one of the girls asked my daughter, Christina, if she considered me to be a virtuous woman. She hesitated…way to long…and I became acutely aware of my need to take another look at the qualities that compromise the virtuous woman in Scripture!
Do I consider myself a woman of virtue…of Godly character?
There is a thief that focus’ on robbing us of the best. Time in the Word can be lost to the immediate demands of responsibility, a whirlwind of activity, social media and finding a “War Room” where we can read and pray uninterrupted. Little things begin to bother us when people “bump” us, we react selfishly.
Sound familiar?
What is my response when:
· I am evil spoken of
· My loyalty has been betrayed
· My will has been crossed
· I am forgotten or neglected
· My friends forsake me
· I find compromise more inviting than maintaining claimed convictions
· I am faced with failure and disappointment in my life
My response reveals the real me…
Am I a virtuous woman or a hypocrite?
Which are you?
~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America. Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California. My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.
