Mindfulness: The Power Of Virtue

Is there more in you and I? 

I have been pondering this thought and I believe there is. So today I present to you the word VIRTUE. 

As I wondered what it means, I started reading up on it and I came across a scripture that says: 

And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? – Mark 5:30 KJV

The above shows us that Jesus had virtue in him and that virtue benefited those around him freely. The verse stems from the story of a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years and had tried to seek help from healers without much success.

Having heard about Jesus, she debated within herself from what she had heard about him and she perceived that she could be made better or healed “if she could just touch his garments”.

Now, before we dive into this, let’s take another look at a version of the bible that uses the word virtue as ‘power’ instead:

Jesus knew at once that someone had touched him, for he felt the power that always surged around him had passed through him for someone to be healed. He turned and spoke to the crowd, saying, “Who touched my clothes?” -Mark 5:30 TPT

When I also checked the Oxford dictionary, I found that the word virtue also means:

Behavior showing high moral standards.

This, I believe, summarizes it bringing it closer to home. Whatever virtue we carry, it eventually influences our conduct. 

For example, have you ever heard someone say “so and so is a really nice person to be with” or the opposite, “so and so is so hard to get along with”? Those dear readers are cue markers of what a person can carry. So I ask if virtue is connected to power, what is it and what is its true purpose?

To me, having researched this word, conclude that virtue is power. It is a driving force, and it comes from God. It is the force that causes us to be virtuous. In other words, it teaches us to do things with a moral obligation of being excellent and comes from our attitude too. It’s what causes us to do good and be good to others. If it is connected to our attitude then is it possible it is something one can turn on and off.

It does not matter what vocation one has in this life for I have found that as a human being and as a follower of Jesus, I have the moral obligation to follow him and to be an example on the earth just like He was. 

The Bible calls us a peculiar people.

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light: 10 which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.– 1 Peter 2:9 KJV

In a world where wrong is called right and sin is treated as a misdemeanor, we are called to be peculiar and do the right moral thing every time to our fellow human beings because the virtue of God is in us.

This reminds me of a time I was traveling back to Kenya via Istanbul and I had with me a brand new laptop. 

While at my stopover, I went to refresh myself at the airport hotel. I had to unpack my carry-on because my bathroom bag was at the bottom and that meant taking the laptop out and laying it on the side. I took my shower, packed my bathroom bag back into my carry-on, and continued on my way erroneously forgetting to put my laptop back. 

Now when I got to Nairobi and was at the check-out section with my son who came to pick me up, I started wondering where my laptop was. We checked around and even involved security but we just couldn’t find it. It was a long-drawn search that I will not go into.

Someone then suggested to me that I check for it at my last stop and lo and behold when we contacted the hotel service at the airport in Istanbul, they told me they had found it in the bathroom where I had refreshed myself.

That situation taught me that it’s not only Christians who have virtue, but all human beings have it. We all have the potential of being morally good, and I say this because Istanbul is not a predominantly Christian country, and the cleaner who found my laptop must have been a morally right-thinking human being. I don’t know what religion they were but the goodness that was flowing out of him/her from God, resulted in me finding my belonging.

I now know from experience that there are lots of people who do not confess Jesus as their savior but they are morally good and kind, and we as believers and representatives of Christ have an obligation to showcase the virtue of God flowing in us. We need to be more aware of our surroundings and be conscious of our actions especially if it is going to affect another human being because that is what will make the world a better place. When we are doing what is morally good, not only to ourselves but to one another; ultimately we do what we are here to do and that is to spread God’s goodness.

Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; 12having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. –1 Peter 2:11-12 KJV

So never mind what the world is saying, as a Christian, set up a standard and do what Jesus would do because when the day of reckoning comes, your work will stand and pass the test. 

Yes, there is more in you and I. We can execute anything we do with excellence and with good grace. We can exhibit a virtuous moral standard every time and be constantly pleasing to our God.