Why virtue?

God is good. Gracious, loving, kind, merciful, forgiving, tender hearted and gracious and full of justice and compassion.

We are not. Not always, not usually, and sometimes not even often. But we do have and practice these qualities.

Did you ever wonder why?

If God is perfect, then why do we have to do these things? God knows we are flawed, so how can we live up to His standard. He is perfect; we are not. Why God expects us to copy Him is puzzling, but only if you don't know God. You see, He loves us and only wants the best for us. He doesn't hold us to an impossible standard because He is the God of the possible. He knows that virtues such as mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and grace are good for us. The more we practice these qualities wholeheartedly, (with no hidden motives), the closer we become to Him. We grow when we forgive, when we forbear, when we show mercy.

Every time we forgive, we remember the cross. He is forgiving us. Every time we are controlled in an uncontrolled time or place, we learn more about the self-control Hesus showed in following the will of His Father. Every time we show compassion for someone, we better understand the compassion Jesus has for us. When we demonstrate peace and generosity and faithfulness, we draw a little bit nearer to He who is the source of all these and all good things. And the closer we draw to Him, the more we can understand the depth of Hos love for us.

God does not set us an impossible task when Ge desires us to be like Him. He acts out of love, out of a yearning, a longing to be with us, ever closer to us, and to lead us to a better life. To a life that has Him at the center. That is what God offers :Himself. All of Him, all the time, forever and eternal. Always. So we can know that He loves us.

Who would turn that down?