Are you decent? That is a question we usually ask if we want to know if someone is dressed before entering a room. I’m asking the same question, but with a slightly different slant. Is your soul decent? By that I mean, are you of the caliber of virtue where you exhibit restraint over your actions, dress and language because you value your own self-worth? Do you value what God thinks of you and your behavior more than the prescribed cultural norms? Or do you try to “fit in” by being lewd, scantily dressed and/or use colorful language, because… Read more…
Tag: Virtue
Listen to God? What’s in it for Me?
Listen to God as He speaks to you. He has your best interests at heart. God wants only what is best for you. He is omnipotent (all-powerful), omnipresent (everywhere at one time) and omniscient (all-knowing); three very good adjectives to describe why we should be silent and listen to Him and not to the questionable, noisy, broken chatter of this world! God knows what He is doing. We, as humans, certainly do not have the full picture regarding anything, but He does. God is there to guide us on our journey. If we would be silent and listen, we would… Read more…
God Speaks: Are You Listening?
When God speaks do you really listen? Read more to learn about my struggles with listening for God’s voice and guidance in this noisy and stimulating world.
Need Motivation to Exercise Self-Control?
Need motivation to exercise self-control? Perhaps you have tried to quit smoking, drinking, or taking drugs. Perhaps you have tried to lose weight, or not work so many long hours, only to be drawn back in to the temptation. You tell yourself that you can have all the motivation you could want and somehow, you still succumb to the temptation. Great starts, lousy finishes! You try again, only to see the cycle repeat itself.
I’ve been on that hamster wheel with my weight! So, I speak from experience. It wasn’t until this last time of weight loss, when I got…Read more…
Devil Knocking: Anyone Home?
The devil knocks at our doors every day! Every time we are unable to resist temptation, we invite Satan to rule our lives. It’s that simple. For example, too much of anything creates an unhealthy imbalance, whether it is food, drink, sex, drugs, work, you name it. Worse, if we engage in immoral behavior, we not only open the door, but we set the table for the devil to take up housing and we push God away. So, what is the remedy? Embrace the virtue of self-control. Use your God-given intellect to make prudent choices. The first choice that you… Read more…
Self-Control: Lacking or Fruitful in Your Life?
Self-control is a fruit of the Holy Spirit that exhibits its fruitfulness when we maintain a deep abiding relationship with Christ. As we celebrate Easter, and have now completed our Lenten sacrifices, I have to ask: How have you done with your Lenten sacrifice? Were you able to exhibit self-control and maintain your promise to Jesus in thanksgiving for the sacrifice He gave for you? Perhaps you gave something up, or perhaps you pledged to do something for others, or perhaps you elected to practice a specific virtue this Lent. Although Lent is over, you can still live up to your promise, for Jesus always gives us another chance, with each and every day that He gives us to live.
Jesus is our living example of one who bears fruit through the use of self-control. We only need to look at Matthew 4:1-11, where Matthew writes about the devil tempting Jesus three times during Jesus’ 40 days in the desert. Read more…
How to Be Meek AND Effective!
Meek AND effective – sounds contradictory doesn’t it? Well not so. There are many ways that we can demonstrate being meek without losing the competitive edge. If you think being meek is weak, then I challenge you to be meek for a week! Here are just a few things that you can try, and after doing so, I would love to hear back from you on what reactions you may have noticed from others, given your change in behavior:
- Put others at ease. – Be friendly. Create a vibe where others feel welcome to approach you. Body English speaks volumes!
- Be mild mannered. – Be docile in your behavior. Keep your emotions on an even keel.
- Listen and let others speak. – Restrain yourself from cutting in on conversations because you need to be heard. Give others the floor. You just might learn something valuable.
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Meekness: Where Does It Get You?
Meekness
Where does it get you? Stomped over? Dismissed? Think again! Have you ever heard the commentary, ‘a good leader listens more than speaks?’ A good leader is docile, putting others at ease by creating surroundings that make it easier for those with diverse thoughts to speak and express opinions that might not otherwise be shared had the leader been domineering and overly assertive. Meekness gets you needed information to make prudent decisions.
Why show meekness in this dog-eat-dog world? Embracing the virtue of meekness sets you apart from the run-of-the-mill person in business today. Using the virtue of meekness, when appropriate to do so, will draw support from others because they will be drawn to you. Read more…
Assertive Vs. Meek: The Winner Is…?
Assertive vs. Meek
It sounds like a boxing match, with assertive highly favored over meek, doesn’t it? Hmmm – This is not always the case. It depends upon the situation. There are times when assertive behavior is appropriate. For example: Speaking up for the unborn gives voice for those who would otherwise not be heard. Being assertive in this instance would be a good thing. However, there are times when it is best to be meek, rather than assertive.
To be assertive actually means one is self-confident, self-assured and firm. However, the word has taken on a surly meaning when a person uses assertiveness to be forceful, pushy or aggressive. When acting in the former, being assertive is appropriate. When acting in the latter, meekness would be a better avenue to take.
Meekness is not being weak, shy, or quiet as a mouse for fear of offending someone. No, meekness is…Read more…
Unselfishly Give to Others: Easy or Hard to Do?
Unselfishly giving to others – Do you find it easy or hard to do? If you are like me, you might find it hard to do, all the time. That is because in our society, we are wired to “take care of number 1,” especially in the world of business. We tend to transcend that thought process into our personal lives. How contrary this thought process is to how Christ would like for us to behave as Christians!
Christ’s message was clear. When He taught us to pray the Our Father, he taught us to say, “Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven.” Every time we say the Our Father, we are surrendering our will to the Father by aligning our will with that of the Father. Have you ever looked at the words of the Our Father in this way? Do we really mean what we say when we pray the Our Father? God reads the heart. He knows the truth. If we mean what we say, then acting unselfishly should come easy to us. However, if we have reservations about completely submitting to the will of the Father, then acting unselfishly might not be that easy for us. For many of us it is difficult to let go and let God’s will be done.
So, if we would like to truly act unselfishly, on a more consistent basis, how can we accomplish that? Here are a few practical suggestions to get you started: Read more…