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“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness... For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness (virtue), and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, GODLINESS…” 2 Peter 1:3, 5-6
According to a May 2009 MSNBC report, “Today’s Tykes: Secure Kids or Rudest In History?”, we seem to have produced a generation of “rude” children lacking compassion for others. What’s more shocking is the number of adults, especially parents, who are themselves rude and who reinforce rude, selfish behavior in their children.
The word used by Peter in this passage expresses a completely opposite attitude towards others. The word, eusebeia, is very difficult to translate, so words like godliness, pious or reverent cannot adequately convey its rich meaning. It describes the two sides of a coin representing our relationship both to God and man. Godliness means to correctly and reverently worship God, out of which we correctly and respectfully serve and relate to others. In other words, authentic faith expresses itself in authentic, all of life worship which manifests itself rightly both in relationship to God and man. It is practical piety that reflects Christ.
Faith rightly rooted in the truth about who God is and who we are as beings created in His image and loved completely uproots all self-centeredness, selfishness and rudeness, and replaces it with kindness, gentleness, love and compassion. True godliness is obvious in the life so fully possessed by God that His character is revealed in relationships with others.
FANNING THE FLAME
Godliness is not passive, but active and proactive. Grandparents, when you see your grandchildren acting towards other with rudeness or meanness, how do you respond? Children need to know that such behavior is unacceptable, and if we look the other way when rude behavior is displayed we are not helping them grow. Correction is best achieved in partnership with the parents, and teaching correct behavior involves as much modeling godliness as in telling them how to behave.
GRANDPAUSE: "True godliness does not turn men out of the world, but enables them to live better in it and excites their endeavors to mend it." – Wm. Penn
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