Second Peter 1:6 tells us that to our knowledge we should add temperance. Temperance means self-control. Is that really necessary when we already have some virtue bricks in place? If we are going to have any self-control, we need to have a lot of virtue, excellence, Christian energy and resolution first. Then we can build our knowledge base in order to know what self-control is. It takes both virtue and knowledge to teach us about self-control, and even give us a reason to practice it.

I’ve seen people who seemed excellent to me and seemed to have lots of knowledge. But there was something about them that was sort of unpredictable. Or they had some really bad habits. In Galatians 5:23, temperance or self-control is the last thing in St. Paul’s list of fruit of the Spirit. Since he considers it a fruit of the Spirit, we believe that the kernel of it is already present in us as soon as we receive the Holy Spirit at salvation. That is when the Holy Spirit plants His little tiny fruits in us. It is up to us then to make then grow through practice.

That is the point that St. Peter is making when he says to “add” each attribute to the ones he listed before. We have to start someplace. Learning to live the Christian life isn’t all faith. It isn’t all knowledge. It includes “tempering” our lives through experience. It is using our Christian energy (virtue) and the wisdom and understanding we are finding in the WORD about Jesus and His life (knowledge) to begin to control our thoughts, our impulses, our conversation.

It’s not something that is impossible. As we build these bricks into our wall, the Holy Spirit is there to catch us when we waver. If we have spent our lives in anger and bad temperament, it will show pretty quickly what we need to work on. Once we have the grace and influence of the Holy Spirit and God’s WORD working in our lives, as well as increasing in virtue and knowledge, we will begin to catch ourselves when the heat is on. We can get to the place where we see the importance of controlling our mouths, our temptation to lash out physically, our temptation to run away and hide.

We will also see the benefits of treating others kindly when they are being mean or ignorant. We will restrain ourselves from turning that stubborn project into a pile of smoking ruins. We will “stop, drop and roll” when the “fiery trials” of life try to consume us. (1 Peter 4:12 KJV)

It doesn’t happen all at once. It is a journey. We can look back and see how far we have come. Even if it seems like we will never make it, we are better now than we were. Believe me, the people in our lives will notice! They won’t have to walk on eggshells around us anymore.

It is a journey, a journey into peace. As we sow peaceful seeds, we will reap and enjoy a peaceful harvest. There is no substitute. The solution to anger management? Temperance. The cure for ulcers and high blood pressure? Temperance. The cure for lust and the sins that so easily beset us? You guessed it. Temperance.

We might have to do like Jesus did in John chapter 8, bend down and write on the ground while we plan our next move. While we pray and wait, like He did, waiting for His Father’s instructions. But the difference in our lives will show. And we have the help of the Holy Spirit to make us strong. Oh, thank You, Lord, that we can be strong in You and in the power of Your might. Thank You for the faith, virtue and knowledge along the way. Amen.