No 1
(Obedience)
Virtue is defined as a conformity to a standard of right; a
particular moral excellence. There a several virtues mentioned in the Bible and
one of the most important ones is obedience.
The word obedience starts by the letter "O" and a good method of applying obedience is as follows: an umbrella throws a shadow of an "O" on the ground when we are
under it; but when we remove ourselves from under it, we get wet, right?
The same applies to sin in the Bible. When we get out from under
the protection of God and we sin, we pay the consequences; children, on the
other hand, are under the umbrella of protection of their parents.
"Without
faith it is impossible to please Him". Hebrews 11:6
No 2
(Forgiveness)
It goes without saying how forgivness is crutial to the Body of
Christ. The Lord forgave us of our sins; who are we not to forgive others? The Apostle Peter himself didn't know how to
forgive when he asked Jesus; "Must I
forgive seven times, Lord"?
"No", said Jesus, "You
must forgive 490 times" (Matt
Sometimes,
forgiveness is liberating.
Let me explain. Let's pretend that a person was offended by one of the
deacons during a meeting and felt very hurt.
Weeks go by and the deacon still hasn't made a move, even though the
deacon knows he had done wrong. The
offended person, all this time grew bitter and carried
a heaviness in his heart. He should go
up to the deacon and ask for forgiveness for having had a
bitterness toward him. There's the liberating part!! The offended person
removes a load off of his or her shoulders and the deacon, Lord willing, will see his or her
offense and apologize to the offended person.
Romans 12:18: "If it be possible, as much as lieth in
you, live peaceably with all men".
How many times must we forgive???....As many times as it
takes.
No 3
(Love)
The whole Bible is a love story between the Creator of the
universe and the inhabitants of the planet Earth. How can we understand so great and so perfect
a love? God gave us His Word (the
Bible) so that it will help us to understand, at least partially the depth, the
height and the breadth of this love (Eph
A simple verse such as John 3:16, that we all
know by heart, sums it up perfectly. Love is a divine and a human virtue; humans
can love also, you know; but you knew that already, didn't you?
There are literally hundreds of verses in the Bible that speak
of love directly and just as many that speak of it indirectly. Directly John
The 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians is often read before church
meetings to help set the pace in love and to avoid disputes; it works, too!
But at the end of that chapter, we read the following
verse: "And now abideth faith, hope, charity (love), these three; but the
greatest of these is charity." Paul
used that phrase (but the greatest of these is charity) to explain a very
important concept.
You see, in heaven we won't need faith or hope any
more simply because we've arrived at our eternal destination and they are no
longer needed, but.............Love will be there eternally; pretty cool,
huh?
No 4
(Joy and peace)
Some virtues are a direct result of our salvation
experience. Joy and peace are two of these such virtues and are listed in the fruit of the Spirit
in Galatians 5:22.
JOY
The joy that we experience when we are newly saved cannot
actually be described. It is a sensation
of freedom because our sins are forgiven and it is also a feeling of happiness
because we know that we are loved by the Creator. The Bible says that we cannot lose our
salvation (Jude 1) but that we can lose the JOY of our salvation (Psalm
51:12). We are to cultivate our joy in
the Lord! How? The answer is in 1 John 1:4
: "And these things write we
unto you, that your joy may be full".
We must read and meditate God's word.
PEACE
Here is another virtue that is difficult to describe. We have this inner peace that can almost be
felt because of the knowledge that we are saved and on our way to heaven and
the security we sense, is beyond words. So now, that's
all very well to have peace and joy; but what are we to do with them? Just go around with a happy face? I don't think so. Tell me, what happens when you come across
something fabulous? You tell everyone
about it, right? Well, there you
go!! Tell all your friends and enemies
about Jesus and what He can do for them; you'll see,
your joy and peace will always be at their highest level.
No 5
(Patience)
The dictionary defines patience as bearing pains or trials
calmly or without complaint; manifesting forbearance under provocation or
strain. For a Christian, patience is
learning how to wait to fulfill personal goals and learning to accept difficult
situations as from God and not giving Him a deadline to remove them. We ask the Lord for patience and want it
right away; yes?
The standard we have as Christians is the Lord Himself who has
always been and always will be patient with us.
He waits for us to catch up to Him in a circumstance in our life and
graciously gives what is best for us, in His time; heh, that's a hymn, isn't it?
When we sing that hymn, we pray “Lord please show me every day, as You're
teaching me Your way that You do just what You say, In Your Time”. So starting today, let's all be more patient
with each other and let's accept God's will for our lives and memorize the
following verse: Romans 15:5 "Now the God of patience and
consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ
Jesus". The Body of Christ will
not only benefit, but it will be built up because patience brings on many, many
other Christian virtues that we will see in future studies.
No 6
(Gentleness, meekness, sensitivity)
Under the topic of Christian virtues, let it be understood that
some of them are not necessarily mentioned in the Bible but, as we will see,
are demonstrated by Jesus Christ or by other Biblical personages.
Gentleness is : Learning to respond to needs with kindness
and love. Knowing what is appropriate to the emotional needs of others. And lastly, gentleness is learning how to
administer direction without impatience or anger. Here are two questions that we can ask
ourselves in our personnal assessment of our gentleness; 1) Do those you correct walk away
motivated or discouraged? 2) Do those
who work with you feel that you are committed to them or just getting the job
done?
Meekness is : Learning how to yield rights and possessions
to God. Respondind properly
to anger when others violate our personal rights. Here are some questions : 1) Does your family ever see you lose your
temper? If they do, do you acknowledge you were wrong and ask them to forgive
you? 2) Do you demand respect from your
children rather than teach them to be respectful? 3) Do you demand prompt attention and service
in a restaurant?
Sensitivity is : Exercising my senses so that I can perceive
the true spirit and emotions of those around me. Being alert to the
promptings of the Holy Spirit. Avoiding danger by sensing wrong motives in others. Knowing how to give the
right words at the right time.
Here are some questions : 1) Can you discern the true feelings of your
family or friends without asking them?
2) Are you aware of the spiritual condition of those for whom you are
responsible? 3) Do you experience times
when your mind tells you that something is right but your spirit tells you that
it is wrong?
No 7
(Faith, self-control, truthfulness )
Faith is : Visualizing God’s will and acting upon
it. It is investing time and money in
things that count for eternity. Here are
some questions we can ask ourselves about our faith. 1) Can we give a clear testimony of our
salvation experience? 2) Would our
family be convinced of the reality of God by the answers to prayer that we
share with them?
Self-control is : Restraint over our impulses, emotions or
desires. It is bringing my thoughts,
words and actions under the control of the Holy Spirit. Some questions are :
1) Do we have any habits that we know grieve the Holy Spirit? 2) Are we committed to giving a good report
and rejecting gossip? 3) Do we learn all
the facts before answering a matter?
Truthfulness is : Sincerity in action, character and
utterance. It is learning to be a
reliable messenger. It is facing the
consequences of a mistake. Some questions : 1) Have we corrected lies that we told in
the past and asked forgivness for them?
2) Do we tell God the precise sins that we commit and ask His forgivness.
No one ever said that being a Christian was easy; if anything,
it is extremely difficult and our efforts to conform to Jesus’ standard
oftentimes go unnoticed.
No 8
(Sincerity, Boldness and Persuasiveness)
Sincerity is : Being honest of mind and free from hypocrisy.
Having motives that are transparent. Doing things because we
desire God’s gain. Having a genuine concern to benefit the lives of others. Here are some questions that we can ask ourselves : 1) When purchasing a gift, do we first
consider what the person gave to us? 2)
Do we enjoy doing things that go unnoticed as an expression of faithfulness?
Boldness is : Fearlessness before danger. Learning how to base words and actions on the authority of
Scripture. Being
willing to stand alone on the side of right even when it requires personal
sacrifice. Here are some questions : 1) The last time God prompted us to witness
to a stranger, did we do it or did we remain silent? 2) Have we followed through on asking
forgiveness of those we know we have wronged?
Persuasiveness is : The ability to move someone by exposition to
a belief or a position. Learning how to guide important truths around the mental roadblocks
of our listeners. Demonstrating commitment to our convictions by the example of our
lives. Some questions : 1) When someone disagrees with us, are we
more concerned about proving our point than winning his or her spirit? 2) Is one who rejects Scripture able to draw
us into an argument?
No 9
(alertness, hospitality, generosity)
Alertness is: The tendency of being watchful to meet danger
or emergency. Learning
to pay attention to all the lessons that God is teaching through authorities,
friends and experiences. Here are
some questions we can ask ourselves to see if we are alert. 1) Do we drive defensively or do we trust the
other person to drive safely? 2) Are we
aware of opportunities that God gives us to witness and encourage others? 3) Have we learned how to “tune out”
distractions that hinder us from being alert to the right things?
Hospitality is:
Given to generous and cordial reception of guests. Learning how to provide an
atmosphere which contributes to the physical and spiritual growth of those
around us. Making other people comfortable with our
possessions. Here are some
questions: 1) Do we know what type of
people God does not want in your home?
2) Are there things in our home that hinder Godliness and grieve the
Holy Spirit?
Generosity is: Liberality in spirit or act; liberality in
giving. Recognizing
that all possessions belong to God.
Discerning when a gift will damage the life or attitudes of the
receiver. Some questions: 1) Do our gifts make the one receiving them
feel obligated to us? 2) Have we ever
given a large sum of money to God that we could’ve used for a personal
want? 3) How many unexpected gifts have
we given in the last year?
No 10
(Flexibility, thoroughness and dependability)
Flexibility is : Capability of
responding or conforming to changing or new situations. Learning how to
cheerfully change plans when unexpected conditions require it. Here are some questions that we can ask
ourselves to see if we are flexible. 1) Do we know how to recognize the Holy
Spirit warning us that a project, which we have begun, is not in His perfect
will? 2) Do we allow our authorities the
freedom to change their minds?
Thoroughness is : Carrying through to completion; marked by
full detail. Learning what details are
important for the success of a project.
Here are some questions. 1) Do we
pass on reports without checking them first?
2) Do we have a reputation for finishing one task completely before
starting another? 3) Do we use
concordances and dictionaries for our personal study of the Bible?
Dependability is : The capability
of being reliable or trustworthy. Learning to be true to our word even when it is difficult to carry
out what we promised to do. Some questions. 1) Do
we ever give excuses why a job was not done?
2) Are we always on time for church services? 3) Can God count on us to witness to a person
He brings across our path?
No 11
(Availability, endurance, reverence)
Availability is : Having the qualification or willingness to do
something or to assume a responsibility. Rejecting ambitions
that would hinder me from delighting in God-given priorities. Here are some questions we can ask ourselves
to see if we have the virtue of availability : 1) Have outside activities prevented us from
carrying out promised family outings? 2)
Have we reduced personal responsibilities to a minimum so we can have maximum
time available to the one we are serving?
Endurance is : The ability to endure hardship, adversity or
stress. Maintaining
commitment to a goal during times of pressure. Keeping my focus on the objectives God has
given me. Here are some questions : 1) How
long can we go without giving in to temptation? 2) Have we developed the habit
of prayer? 3) How long have we gone
without missing a day of reading Scripture?
4) Do we have a goal in life we are willing to die for?
Reverence is : Honour or respect felt or shown. Some questions : 1)
Do we show respect to God by our conduct in church? 2) Do we have any habits that reveal to God
or others that we are not treating our body as the temple of the Lord?
No 12
(Diligence, security and wisdom)
Diligence is:
Applying energy and concentration to assigned tasks. Relating all other learning
around the truth of Scripture.
Here are some questions that we can ask ourselves to see if we are
diligent. 1) When we evaluate our work, do we anticipate that God will evaluate
it? 2) Do we study or work in order to
honour the name and reputation of Christ?
3) Are we alert to details that indicate mastery of what we are doing?
Security is: Freedom
from danger, from fear or anxiety, from want or deprivation. Learning to build
affections around the person of Christ and His eternal Word. Learning to appreciate
temporal possessions without making them the focus of our delight. Here are some questions: 1) Does our family see evidence that we have
lost our first love for the Lord? 2)
Have we built our life around making money?
Wisdom is:
Accumulated philosophic or scientific learning; ability to discern inner
qualities; good sense. Learning to see from God’s
perspective. Recognizing
cause-and-effect relationships in life.
Tracing conflicts to their root causes.
Learning to apply life principles in daily situations. Some questions: 1) Can we contrast God’s principles with
natural inclinations? 2) Do we know the
commands of Christ? 3) Are we aware that
God is watching every one of our words, thoughts, actions and attitudes? 4) Do we record the insights of wisdom that
God gives us? 5) Do we seek instruction
of wise men and reject the teachings of fools?
6) Are we slow to answer and swift to hear? The book of Proverbs is full of verses
relating to wisdom. “For the Lord givith wisdom; out of His mouth cometh
knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2 : 6).
No 13
(Discernment, discretion, creativity)
Discernment is:
The quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure. Learning to detect the true
wishes and feelings of others. Knowing whom God wants me to serve. Here are some questions that we can ask
ourselves to see if we have discernment.
1) Have our friends ever talked us into doing things that we later
regretted? 2) Are there activities that
we enjoy which others feel are wrong? 3)
Have we ever experienced the consequences of reproving a scorner?
Discretion is:
The quality of using cautious reserve in speech. Learning to respond to
difficult situations with the wisdom and character of Christ. Seeing the consequences of
words and actions further down the road.
Here are some questions: 1) Are
we aware of topics which should be avoided in conversation? 2) Do we know how to respond to embarrassing
situations?
Creativity is:
The quality of bringing new form into existence. Finding ways to overcome
seemingly impossible obstacles. Discovering practical applications for Scriptural principles.
Some questions: 1) Does a new task bring
fear to us or challenge? 2) Are we quick
to say no to a new idea? 3) Does an
insurmountable problem cause us to give up or motivate us to search out God’s
Word for wisdom?
No 14
(Enthusiasm, Resourcefulness,
Thriftiness)
Enthusiasm is: Zeal, strong excitement of
feeling. Learning what actions and
attitudes please Godand becoming excited about doing them. Learning the difference
between emotional excitement and a spirit of enthusiasm. Here are some questions that we can ask ourselves
to see if we are enthusiastic: 1) Do we make it a habit of cheerfully greeting
all those we meet? 2) Do we tend to see
a glass half full or half empty? 3) Do
our work attitudes convince others that we are enthusiastic?
Resourcefulness is: Ability to meet situations;
capability of devising ways and means. Seeing value in that which
others overlook. Achieving a task with a minimum amount of outside resources. Knowing when not to use
materials just because they are available. Here are some questions: 1) Are we careless with our possessions if
they are easily replaceable? 2) Do we
look for reasons why we can accomplish a task rather than accept reasons why we
cannot?
Thriftiness is:
Practicing good economy and good management. Knowing how to accomplish
the most with the resources that are available. Not encouraging ourselves or others to spend
that which is not necessary. Some
questions: 1) Do the things we own give
evidence of lack of care? 2) Do we pay
for services that we have the time and ability to do ourselves?
No 15
(Contentment, punctuality and tolerance)
Contentment is : Freedom from care, or discomfort. Learning to enjoy present possessions rather
than desiring new or additional ones.
Here are some questions that we can ask ourselves to see if we are content : 1) Would we be content if everything were taken
from us but food and clothing? 2) Do we
compare our possessions with those of others?
Punctuality is: Being on
time. Showing esteem
for other people and their time by not keeping them waiting. Here are some questions :
1) Do we plan to get to an event before it starts or as it starts? 2) Do we know how to graciously excuse
ourselves from conversations that hinder us from being on time? 3) When is the last time we got an overdue
notice on a bill we owed?
Tolerance is : Capacity to endure pain or
hardship. Learning how
to respond to the immaturity of others without accepting their standard of
immaturity. Some questions : 1) Do the
irritations of others cause us to reject opportunities to help them grow
spiritually? 2) Do we genuinely love a
sinner while hating his or her sin?
No 16
K) Christian virtues (Cautiousness, gratefulness, orderliness)
Cautiousness is: Prudent forethought to minimize risk. Learning that unfamiliar
situations may contain danger.
Learning to detect and avoid evil and ungodly people. Recognizing
temptations and fleeing them. Here are
some questions that we can ask ourselves to see if we are cautious: 1) Do we screen the kinds of books, magazines
and influences that enter our homes? 2)
Has our family seen us make an unwise business decision? 3) Do we have friends or activities that are
wrong influences on us and our family?
Gratefulness is: Appreciation of benefits received. Looking for appropriate ways
to express genuine appreciation. Learning to give all expectations to God. Here are some questions: 1) Do we make it a habit to thank God or
others for the many little things in life that others tend to take for granted? 2) Have we thanked the many people who have
benefited our lives in the past? 3) Do
we share with others how various ones have helped us in the past?
Orderliness is: Arrangement or disposition in some order or
pattern; regularity; tidiness. Learning
to organize and care for our personal possessions. Giving attention to
personal grooming. Learning to write legibly. Some questions: 1) Do we collect things that
have little or no future use? 2) Do we
put things away after using them? 3) Do
our clothes and appearance let people know that we respect the way God made us?
No 17
(Initiative, Responsibility; Humility)
Initiative is: energy deployed in taking
action. Making the
best of opportunities to witness.
Assuming responsibility for the physical and spiritual
encouragement of those around us.
Here are some questions that we can ask ourselves to find out if we have
initiative. 1) Do we wait to be told to
do something that we know must be done?
2) Do we introduce ourselves to newcomers to the church or do we wait
until someone else introduces us? 3)
When is the last time we took advantage of an opportunity to explain the Gospel
to someone?
Responsibility is:
Trustworthiness, reliable. Learning to assume the protection of that which was entrusted to
us. Here are some questions. 1)
Would those we work for leave their most cherished possessions in our
care? 2) Do we delegate to others jobs that we know that we should do
ourselves? 3) Do we have to be reminded
to do the tasks that assigned to us?
Humility is: Not proud or haughty; not arrogate or
assertive. Recognizing
my total inability to accomplish anything for God apart from His grace. Quickly directing praise to God and
others. Being able to
distinguish between flattery and praise.
Some questions: 1) How many times have we thanked God for the things He has
allowed us to accomplish? 2) Do we
welcome criticism or do we secretly resent the ones who give it? 3) Are we inwardly grieved or pleased when
another Christian has failed?
No 18
(Decisiveness, Determination, Loyalty)
Decisiveness is : Having the power or quality of deciding. Learning to finalize difficult decisions on
the basis of God’s ways and God’s will.
Here are some questions we can ask ourselves to see if we have the
virtue of decisiveness: 1) Do we tend to re-evaluate past decisions and wonder
if they were right? 2) Do we have sound
Biblical reasons for our convictions? 3)
When did we stand alone on the right side when it cost us something?
Determination is : The quality of being resolute or firm in
purpose. Learning to give whatever
energy it takes to complete a project.
Here are some questions : 1) Do our homes contain projects that we
started and have not yet finished? 2) Do
we allow distractions to hinder us in completing an assigned task? 3) Have we ever made a vow that we have not
fulfilled?
Loyalty is :
Unswerving in allegiance, faithful to a person, to a cause, to an ideal
or to a custom. Some questions
: 1) Do we share problems with
others about those we are serving? 2)
Do we have clearly defined convictions in Christian living that we have
purposed to follow no matter what? 3)
Are we quick to believe a bad report about a family member or a friend?
No 19
(Attentiveness, Justice, Deference)
Attentiveness is: Learning the wishes of others through
facial expressions, words and tone of voice.
Listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit to
learn God’s moral standard and His will.
Learning who to be attentive to, what to listen for
and what not to listen to. Here
are some questions we can ask ourselves to see if we are attentive. 1) When we are spoken to by someone, do we
stop what we are doing, look at them and listen? 2) Do we look at our watches in church? 3) Do we glance at other people when someone
is speaking to us?
Justice is:
Recognizing our personal responsibility to God’s unchanging laws. Basing our decisions on
eternal values (faith) rather than on temporal values (the convenient). Here are some questions: 1) Do the decisions we make reflect a focus
on God’s will? 2) Would those under our
responsibility be able to give examples of generosity in our dealings with
them? 3) Do we twist the rules in order
to win at something? 4) Have we ever
sold something we knew was not worth the price we were asking?
Deference is : Respect.
Limiting our freedom in order not to offend the personal tastes of those
God has called us to serve. Some
questions: 1) What
activities do we engage in that many Christians believe are wrong? 2) Do we use words or expressions that are
offensive to others? 3) Do we justify
activities such as smoking, drinking or dancing on the basis that other
Christians do it?
No 20
(Courage)
This is the first of many studies we will be doing on certain
virtues demonstrated in animals and also in Biblical personalities. The first animal that we will examine is the
skunk and how it demonstrates courage during its life. The skunk is a very useful animal to farmers
because they prey on mice and other small rodents that harm crops. In the forest they always have a clear path
because of their very strong scent. This
is the main reason that they demonstrate courage. Foxes, wolves and other larger animals always
give skunks the right of way in the forest.
The skunk taps its paw on the ground to warn any oncoming animals and
they see it coming and get out of its way.
Unfortunalely, this is also the reason that there are so many skunks
that get killed on the highways. As in
the forest, they tap their paws on the road to “warn” oncoming cars of their
presence but, as we well know, cars do not get out of the way. When the skunk is poised to spray its victim,
its raises its tail and makes sure that it does not spray itself. The enemies of the skunk are hawks and owls;
for some reason the skunk’s liquid has no effect on them.
The Bible demonstrates courage in many persons but I believe
that most courageous person in the Bible is David when he confronted Goliath on
the battlefield during the reign of King Saul.
There is really no need to explain the story, it is so familiar. Yet, it shows that unearthly courage is
possible with an unyielding faith in the God of creation. There was no doubt in David’s mind about who
was to be the winner of the battle. The
Bible tells us that when he saw Saul’s frightened army, he was more than
courageous, he was mad. David said “for who is this
uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 1 Samuel 17:26b. The Lord had given David two prior
experiences with a bear and a lion to test his bravery and David came through
with flying colours. Why? Because he trusted God; the
same God that we have. He was
only a teenager but had the faith of an elder.
He confronted the giant with assurance and audacity. David said to Goliath
“This day will the LORD deliver thee into
mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will
give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the
air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that
there is a God in Israel.” 1 Samuel
17:46. Do we, at times, face Goliaths in
our lives? May we confront them with the
courage of David.
No 21
(Determination)
One animal in nature that shows much
determination is the wolverine. Pound
for pound it is the fiercest animal on earth.
This northerly predator is shrewd and highly active; the wolverine has
two speeds – completely stopped or running as fast as it can. It has been known to eat the bait on a trap
and then hide the trap from the hunters.
Although it is very mobile, it is not a fast runner so it usually
resorts to ambushing its prey. It is not
a very large animal; about the size of a large fox; it is a member of the
weasel family. Its eyesight is not that
good either so it uses its other abilities to compensate. With sheer determination, it has been known
to defeat a grizzly bear that is many times its size. By using the abilities it does have in single-minded
concentration, the wolverine overcomes several handicaps. Packs of wolves that
have captured a meal will leave it for fear of the wolverine. Its habitat is
In the Bible, one person who shows
much determination is Jacob. After
stealing his brother Esau’s birthright and blessing,
he left his father Isaac to go to Laban to find a wife. When he first saw Rachel, he said to her that
he was part of the family; he was determined to have her as his wife. As it
turned out, after having worked 7 years for Laban to obtain Rachel, he got Leah
instead, the elder of the two. Jacob did
not like Laban’s decision and Laban said to him “Fulfil her week, and we will give thee this also for the service which
thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years.”(Gen
29:27). Jacob got Rachel but he had to
work another 7 years for Laban; he
showed much determination. When he was
on the run from Esau, his brother, he encountered an angel with whom he fought
till daylight and would not let him go till he blessed him. It was at this encounter that his name
changed to
No 22
(Orderliness)
This virtue is not exclusive to Christians,
many people have it and we will see how nature and the Bible give us examples
of this desirable quality. In nature,
the Lord shows us orderliness in a small, sometimes pesky little animal that
finds its way into gardens and golf courses; this animal is the ground hog or
the woodchuck and its habitat is
The Bible gives us several examples of
this virtue but we will be looking how the Lord gave orderliness to the third
king of
No 23
(Loyalty)
As in other similar studies, we have seen that the Lord has
given animals certain character traits that humans possess and, in this study,
we will look at loyalty in the Grizzly bear.
Its habitat is in the north-western part of
Our Biblical personage who depicts loyalty is Elisha. His ministry began when Elijah came to him
and threw his cloak on him. In 1 Kings Chapter 19, we read that Elisha was
plowing his father’s field and said to Elijah that he
would bid farewell to his father and mother and that he would follow him. Elijah tested Elisha’s loyalty three times in
2 Kings 2 verses 1 to 6. Elisha’s final
test of loyalty came when Elijah asked him what he wanted just before being
taken up in a whirlwind. The Bible says “…Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall
do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee,
let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.” (v9) Elijah was removed from the earth in a
chariot of fire; Elisha was on his own but because he had been loyal to his
mentor, the Lord blessed Ehisha and used him in many special ways. The Lord uses anyone who is faithful to Him.
No 24
(Responsibility)
The common crow shows responsibility in its everyday
activities. One crow will stand guard
against enemies and warn of threats while others in the flock feed or take care
of their young. Ornithologists are very
much aware of their methods of communication and say that the crows can
communicate such things as impending danger, likely spots to feed or to cry out
to the flock to fly away because of the arrival of an owl, the crow’s
arch-enemy. When a crow finds a mate it
moves away from the flock and its responsibility turns to its family. Oh yes, they are absolutely not afraid of
scarecrows in the middle of a field; they do however fear humans and when there
is movement, they fly away.
I chose 3 youths as an example of responsibility in the
Bible. They were subjected to very
drastic cultural changes in their young lives and when the time came, they
showed strong responsibility. I am
referring to Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah or as we have come to know them by
the Babylonian names – Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego. In Daniel chapters 1 and 3, we read of two
incidents in the lives of these youths that demonstrated a strong commitment to
the God of Israel and His laws. The
first one concerned food that was given to them that had been offered to the
gods of