Precision Virtue

"To be greatly and effectively wicked a man needs some virtue. What would Attila have been without  his courage, or Shylock without self-denial as regards the flesh?  But as we cannot supply these qualities ourselves, we can only use them as supplied by the Enemy."

Screwtape (Senior Demon)

This hit me like a ton of bricks.  Perhaps the greatest weapon in the enemy's arsenal is the twisting of the gifts and virtues that God has given. I despair to think how true this may be in my own life. I say that because it can be so hard to know or see since virtue in the person always seems a good thing.   And virtue is a good thing; its a God thing.  My enthusiasm, acceptance, and drive all seem to me like honorable things. But if I were honest it is in those places I most often find myself missing the mark (sinning).

Our virtues need aimed.  If their aim is off they take out innocent bystanders. The aim of my virtue only need to be off a hair and the wake of the hurt I can cause is vast.  In other words, my enthusiasm and drive aimed at the wrong things can have no regard for family, friends, relationships, or God. My acceptance can wrongly include sin in others that would not have me stand for justice in times justice is the focus.

Our virtues are gifts, and so is Christ. The gift of Christ is the gift of good aim at the right targets that deliver hope, love, justice, and feed faith.  That encourages me!!!  We have a God who gave us such good gifts and does not leave us alone to figure them out but offers his presence as a guiding force of love that make us sharpshooters of love and grace.