15th May, 2007

LLOYD HARKNESS

Temperate is one of those words which have a quaint Victorian charm to it; except perhaps when we are discussing the weather. Then we are more likely to conjure up images of balmy days which are neither too hot nor too cold.

LOST? Lloyd Harkness says to be temperate means to rely on the Holy Spirit for direction. PICTURE: Ahmed Al-Shukaili (www.iStockphoto.com) "To be temperate is not so much about exercising moral self discipline as it is to allow the indwelling Spirit to be our prompt, our guide, our teacher and our strength."

I say Victorian charm because it was the era of Temperance Unions and 'temperate' family portraits. Standing or sitting each family is almost universally steady-eyed, unsmiling and the essence of sobriety. Those black and white or sepia photographs project sternness, with their buttoned and tightly laced-up visages, a sternness which affirms their sober, temperate, disciplined lives.

But both quaint history and our perceptions of the weather miss the Biblical point of what it means to be temperate.

The Greeks elevated a temperate mindset or disposition to a cardinal virtue. To say someone is temperate is to affirm strength, vigilance and a clear mind. Again, while this is closer to a Biblical understanding it still falls short.

At the root of this word, as used in the New Testament, is the concept of strength, a strength which produces self control. A temperate person can equally step away from a situation or say 'no' as he or she can be a front-runner in making something happen and staying the course.

Paul identifies self-control (temperate) as a fruit of the Holy Spirit out-worked in a Christian's life. To be temperate is not so much about exercising moral self discipline as it is to allow the indwelling Spirit to be our prompt, our guide, our teacher and our strength.

It's easy to drown out the Holy Spirit's voice with our ambitions and desires (greed, pride and so on) which we justify and hence negate the Spirit's power to effect change, to effect temperance in our life.

We all need self-control to avoid abusing the capabilities and talents God has gifted us with. Maybe Paul had this partly in mind when he drew an analogy for the Corinthians between an athlete's preparation and a Christian's life. Talents and abilities need a God orientation, a focus on an eternal crown rather than the kudos of a leafy wreath.

In Corinth, some of the Christians had reverted to their old ways. The voice of self and the voice of Corinth's social milieu were drowning out the Holy Spirit's prompt and guide in how they should be conducting communion, dealing with litigatious and immoral matters and a number of other issues. Paul challenged them to be temperate like an athlete.

A temperate person is not stiff and stern like a Victorian portrait nor lukewarm like a balmy day. To be temperate is to put into practice what the Holy Spirit teaches. Jesus is the 'mirror of temperance'. As faithful disciples we should mirror his temperance.

PS: There are scriptures which speak of temperance in the sense of sobriety (1Timothy 3:2,11. Titus 2:2.), so be diligent in this area also.

   FOR MORE OF THE WORD click here...