Let's Chat About...Virtues
What exactly is a virtue?
Behavior showing high moral standards.
A quality considered morally good or desirable in a person.
The 7 Heavenly Virtues were originally grouped into 2 categories, the Cardinal Virtues and the Logical Virtues. The four Cardinal Virtues are rooted in ancient philosophy and come from man, while the 3 Logical Virtues are rooted in religion and come from God.
Cardinal Virtues: (Traced back to ancient Greece)
Temperance - quality of moderation and self-control
Justice - just behavior or treatment
Prudence - ability to judge between right and wrong
Fortitude - courage through pain and adversity
Logical Virtues: (Inscribed in the scriptures of the Bible)
Faith - belief in God
Hope - feeling of trust
Love - feeling of deep affection
"And the greatest of these is Love"
In 590 AD, Pope Gregory the 1st revised the 7 Deadly Vices, therefore requiring an update to the 7 Heavenly Virtues so they correspond directly with each other. This new set of virtues consist of:
Chastity: Purity and self-control in matters of sexuality and relationships.
Temperance: Moderation and self-resistance in matters of food, drink and other pleasures.
Charity: Giving of oneself to others by showing compassion, kindness and generosity.
Diligence: Strong work ethic & commitment to excellence.
Kindness: Treating others with compassion, empathy and understanding.
Patience: Endure difficult or challenging situations with grace and composure.
Humility: Recognizing one's own limitations and weaknesses. Being modest and respectful.
7 Deadly Vices:
Lust: Immoderate or immoral sexual desires. Impure thoughts, eyes and actions.
Gluttony: Evil lure of deceitful cravings. Immoderate or immoral consumption. Overindulgence in simple pleasures.
Greed: Desire to possess worldly things over spiritual things. Preoccupation of bettering oneself rather than one's soul. Angry with what they lost, dissatisfied with what they have and long for what they don't have.
Sloth: Idleness of body and sluggishness of soul. Laziness towards the pursuit of God and the general good. Neglectful, regretful and unfulfilled. "Idleness is hell's fishhook for catching souls". "Idle hands are the work of the devil".
Envy: Poison of feeling sorrow in others good fortune or joy in their misfortune. Desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable attribute belonging to someone else.
Wrath: Bitterness towards God or others. Short tempered, short sighted and ill willed. Feeling of extreme anger.
Pride: Putting the will of oneself over the will of God. Self-centered, self-indulgent and a feeling of being better than others. Boastful and arrogant.
CHASTITY > LUST
TEMPERANCE > GLUTTONY
CHARITY > GREED
DILIGENCE > SLOTH
KINDNESS > ENVY
PATIENCE > WRATH
HUMILITY > PRIDE
My personal take on this subject is that it's about choosing right over wrong. We all have a conscience (I refer to as the Holy Spirit working within), which helps us decipher between good and evil. It is true that God is on the side of virtue and the Devil is on the side of vice. It is not always easy to make the right choice, and yes, we all sin from time to time. But it is up to us to use the tools that we have been given to help us make the right decisions. One of my biggest tools is my faith. Like my husband Randy says, "Do you want to live your life on a solid foundation or build it in the sand where it can easily shift". Another deterrent in choosing bad decisions is consequence. All our actions have consequences, whether good or bad. But when we make bad choices, we have to face the consequences, no matter how severe. But having faith can help us through the bad times as well as the good.
A few other rules I think are important to live by:
Do not lie
Do not steal
Do not cheat
Do not judge
Do not vandalize
Do not hold a grudge
Always be humble and kind
There's a light that glows by the front door
Don't forget the key's under the mat
When childhood stars shine
Always stay humble and kind
Go to church 'cause your mamma says to
Visit grandpa every chance that you can
It won't be wasted time
Always stay humble and kind
Hold the door, say "Please", say "Thank you"
Don't steal, don't cheat, and don't lie
I know you got mountains to climb but
Always stay humble and kind
When the dreams you're dreamin' come to you
When the work you put in is realized
Let yourself feel the pride but
Always stay humble and kind
Don't expect a free ride from no one
Don't hold a grudge or a chip and here's why
Bitterness keeps you from flyin'
Always stay humble and kind
Know the difference between sleeping with someone
And sleeping with someone you love
"I love you" ain't no pick-up line
Always stay humble and kind
Hold the door, say "Please", say "Thank you"
Don't steal, don't cheat, and don't lie
I know you got mountains to climb but
Always stay humble and kind
When those dreams you're dreamin' come to you
When the work you put in is realized
Let yourself feel the pride but
Always stay humble and kind, yeah
When it's hot, eat a root beer popsicle
Shut off the AC and roll the windows down
Let that summer sun shine
Always stay humble and kind
Don't take for granted the love this life gives you
When you get where you're going don't forget turn back around
And help the next one in line
Always stay humble and kind
So, hopefully this week's blog has given you some good food for thought! If you have any input on the subject, please share in the comments below!
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