Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love. [2Peter 1:5-7 CEV]
Sometimes I think we view faith in binary terms. Yesterday we did not believe. Today we believe. I think this view is limiting. It does not allow for faith to grow or, as this translations puts it, improve. I like the idea that faith can improve over time as we add virtue to it. In reality faith and virtues are linked together.
I love the similarity between Peter's list of virtues here and the fruit of the Spirit that Paul speaks of in his letter to the Galatians. There is a symbiotic relationship between internal transformation and external fruit. In truth, internal virtues are strengthened as they are externally expressed and exercised by a believer.
Lord help us to act out and improve our faith. Teach us to follow the voice of virtue deep within us.
... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the epistles of Peter.
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