Virute Development, Faith, part four, Faith is not something to brag about.

Faith is not something to brag about.

There is a period in faith virtue development when we become more clear, more confident, more at peace that we have found what it is we want to put our faith in and what we want to dismiss, ignore, and side step. This focus is refreshing and ends the previous period of confusion, flailing round, feeling perplexed and anxious. We have found out what matters to us and what doesn’t and in this discovery and decision we can settle down.

The danger in this period is thinking we have the answer and we are right while others are wrong. It is a danger to become cocky, full of oneself, and a “know it all” The tendency to proselytize can be very strong. This “teaching” can be an egotistical activity rather than a genuine nonjudgmental sharing.

We must be careful at this stage of faith development to seek for and ask for help in discerning how to pursue what matters to us and sustain our interest and efforts. Over confidence can be a danger sign while humility and reservation can be a strength. If we know, truly know, we no longer have a need to talk so much about what he have experienced and know. Those that know don’t have a need to talk about it, and those who don’t know talk about it incessantly.

Keep your own counsel unless asked or an appropriate opportunity arises to share. As Jesus said we should be careful not to throw pearls before swine for the swine will simply trample the pearls underfoot. We should take people where they are at not where we think they should be. As they say in Alcoholic Anonymous, "Take your own inventory; don't be taking everyone else's."