What is Virtue?
"Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all." Proverbs 31:21
I love word studies. When you take the time to look at what a word really means as opposed to what we think it means, or what society says it means, you will get a greater understanding of the true meaning. This is very helpful, especially when assisted by the help of the Holy Spirit, when it comes to getting a deeper and more accurate understanding of the scriptures.
What is Virtue?
According to Wikipedia, the definition of vitue is:
Virtue: (Latin: virtus, Ancient Greek: ἀρετή "arete") is moral excellence. A virtue is a positive trait or quality deemed to be morally good and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being. Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting collective and individual greatness(1).
Key factors from this definition:
Moral excellence
Positive trait or quality deemed to be morally good
Foundation of prinicple and good moral being
Characteristics promoting collective and individual greatness
I particularly like STRONG's definition of Virtue:
STRONGS NT 703: ἀρετήἀρετή, ἀρετῆς, ἡ (see ἄρα at the beginning), a word of very wide signification in Greek writings; any excellence of a person (in body or mind) or of a thing, an eminent endowment, property or quality(2).
Many years ago during my devotional reading I came across a scripture that struck me. It is Daniel 6:3 and it says this:
"Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
Since that day I have prayed that the Lord give me an excellent spirit. In the context of this scripture (Daniel 6:3), an excellent spirit translates as "pre-eminent, surpassing, extreme, extraordinary(3)." In a simpler way it means you're simply the best at what you do. This applies to being the best servant of God as well as being the best in whatever roles you have in life. This is one of the foundational princples and traits of the Proverbs 31 woman.
How do you define virtue? Does it mean being perfect? How do you become virtuous?
Let's talk about it.
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(1) Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtue
(2) Source: http://biblehub.com/greek/703.htm
