From The Hauerwas Reader
Morality and virtues are words we hear quite a bit these days.
...moral principles do not serve as the "essence" of stories, as if they might be abstracted from the story and still convey the same meaning. Rather, our principles are but shorthand reminders necessary for moral education and explanation; their moral significance is contained in the stories.
This may seem like a drastic turn from what you might expect in a daily devotion. On the contrary, we are a people who continue to go back to stories. That is what is contained in the scriptures. We read about stories from life. Today we are too often told about how we need to stress morals and teach virtues. I would agree. But then again, we do that teaching best by pointing to stories within life...our lives. To be a follower of Jesus in today's world means we live...and we live out of the story of Jesus that becomes our own story. We can attempt to teach one another about the great virtue of loving one another or caring for one another, but it is really handed down through our communities when those "concepts" are turned into flesh. We build character not by talking about what would make for good character in a person. We build character by walking along the way...daily putting words to life. In some ways, we need to practice...to embody the life of the followers of Jesus...today...and tomorrow...and the next day...
Connection: Never stop putting the "word" to life. It begins with the things within this day no matter how small they might seem.
Lord of all Life, you have brought us to this day and you call us to share the gifts we each have been granted. Inspire us to see the path of new life that is always placed before us at the brink of each day. Amen.
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