MORE THAN WORDS

REFERENCE
1 Timothy 6:11 [ESV] 11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness
1 Timothy 6:11 [Message] 11 But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy

EXPLORATION
Righteousness = acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin
godliness = The one true God, as creator and redeemer, requires an active obedience to his revealed will and a personal devotion that surpasses lip-service, mere trepidation, or bare admiration
faith = belief and trust in, reliance on and loyalty to God
love = warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion
steadfastness = firm in belief, determination, or adherence
gentleness = the quality or state of being gentle : mildness of manners or disposition

APPLICATION
Why do I read verses like 1 Tim. 6:11 and assume in the back of my mind that I've arrived, that "I'm all that!"
When I take the time to reflect on the words, and look up their meaning, I find myself on a journey. I'm not anywhere close to home.

righteousness - free from guilt or sin - way down the road.
godliness - way beyond bare admiration and well short of personal devotion
faith - belief in absolutely, trust in most of the time, reliance on happens later rather than first and loyalty to God - when it's convenient
love - way past warm attachment, quite often there is enthusiasm, but not near enough devotion
steadfastness - firm in belief, lacking in adherence - to get there its going to take more than determination
gentleness - 98% there - mildness of manners or disposition - till I'm pushed

This isn't been there, done that, got the T-Shirt.
This is headed there, looking for the crown.

PRAYER
Father,
No one knows me like you know me, and there is a good chance I've painted myself better than I look.
But by the power of the Holy Spirit as least today I've stopped and did a little self-evaluation
Now by that same power, draw me close to Thee
Never let me go,
Make me more like Jesus,
Please, please; help me grow.