08 June 2011

Practicing in imperfection

This week in our journey through Mere Christianity we are looking at Book III Chapter 2 The "Cardinal Virtues".  These are prudence, temperance, justice and fortitude.  After describing each, C. S. Lewis writes:
We might think that the “virtues” were necessary only for this present life – that in the other world we could stop being just because there is nothing to quarrel about and stop being brave because there is no danger.  Now it is quite true that there will probably be no occasion for just or courageous acts in the next world, but there will be every occasion for being the sort of people that we can become only as the result of doing such acts here.
So these moments - days, months and years
pile one upon the other
each an opportunity, an exercise, a lesson
time and time again to learn how to live
in all our imperfection, virtuous, victorious
and when the day arrives
that we look into the face of true perfection
all striving will cease in glorious peace
when the voice we have strained to hear says
"well done, well done indeed come and enter into your rest
My good, My faithful one"

now, still in pieces, there is work to be done
lessons to be learned, and learned well
for who knows when will come our reward.

His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant Matthew 25:21a NKJV

Jason is hosting us this week at Connecting to Impact


linking also with Emily and the imperfect

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

virtues are not the kind of things that get onto the 10 o'clock news.

Glynn said...

He asks for so little, and offers everything in return. Good post, Karin.

Unknown said...

I'm soooo glad He is not finished with me yet. Many blessings to you Karin, thanks for sharing.

Kati patrianoceu said...

Yeah, so often I can just remember to take it easy, to put one step painfully in front of the other.