Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Article Image Alt Text

A Closer Walk

Publication May 20, 2022

A CLOSER WALK

Greg Worthen

Benjamin Franklin, one of our countries Founding Fathers, compiled a list of "13 Virtues" for his own personal use that he said, "occur'd to me as necessary or desirable," and tried to incorporate them into his life for self improvement. Those 13 virtues are: 1. TEMPERANCE: eat not to dullness, drink not to elevation. 2. SILENCE: speak not but what may benefit others or yourself, avoid trifling conversations. 3. ORDER: let all your things have their places, let each part of your business have its time. 4. RESOLUTION: resolve to perform what you ought, perform without fail what you resolve. 5. FRUGALITY: make no expense but to do good to others or to yourself, waste nothing. 6. INDUSTRY: lose no time, be always employ'd in something useful, cut off all unnecessary actions. 7. SINCERITY: use no hurtful deceit, think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly. 8. JUSTICE: wrong none by doing inquiries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty. 9. MODERATION: avoid extremes, forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve. 10. CLEANLINESS: tolerate no uncleanness in body, cloathes, or habitation. 11. TRANQUILLITY: be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable. 12. CHASTITY: rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, or weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation. 13. HUMILITY: imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Then Mr. Franklin offered his thoughts. "My intention being to acquire the habitude of all these virtues, I judg'd it would be well not to distract my attention by attempting the whole at once, but to fix it on one of them at a time; and, when I should be master of that, then to proceed to another, and so on, till I should have gone through the thirteen; and, as the previous acquisition of some might facilitate the acquisition of certain others, I arranged them with that view, as they stand above....".

Silence is second on his list by no accident. He felt if he had the temperance which helps to produce a cool head and a clear mind then he would be better able to acquire SILENCE. Remember these things were intended for his own personal improvement. But they all would be beneficial to each of us if we chose to try to incorporate them into our own lives. It's likely none of us would disagree with most of the things on his list. Personal preference would lead me to place humility at number three rather than at the end. You may have your own preferences as to the order of arrangement.

These 13 virtues are focused on our relationships with other people and are beneficial for that purpose. None are focused on our relationship with our God. So we, you and I, might consider a list of virtues for our relationship with our Lord. We might think about our Bible reading and study. We might think about our prayer time. During these days and times we might give extra consideration to Mr. Franklin's offering and explanation of tranquility. "Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable." We should look after the things we can control and take action on whatever needs changed or fixed. Then we should leave the rest to our God to deal with. He can certainly do that better than we can.

“Teach me to do Thy will, For Thou art my God; Let Thy good Spirit lead me on level ground,” Psalm 143:10 NASB.

Concordia Blade-Empire

510 Washington St.
Concordia, KS 66901