some thoughts

I like tea.

I also like books–especially old books. When I found out there was a place in town that combined these two simple pleasures in life, I decided to drop in for a bit and check out their holdings. On my way up the sidewalk, I noticed the flowery sign out front, which read “Heidi’s Tea Shop,” which made me hesitate for a moment. But I ignored the man-alarm going off in my head and entered anyway–only to discover that I would be the only male in the entire shop. Feigning comfort, I ordered a cup of Earl Grey tea (because I’m no tea connoisseur and that’s the only kind I could remember when the tea lady asked for my order). I’d also heard that the carrot cake was good. So I ordered some of that, too.

There was a lot of giggling going on behind the counter. Not just young-girl giggling, mind you; this was full-scale, cross-generational giggling. It’s not entirely impossible that Heidi’s tea shop is run by three generations in one family, so I could’ve had an entire family line giggling at me. But courage didn’t flag, and I remained–for the books.

They had a lot of old books, and a few of them were pretty good. A lot of old-school poetry compilations, collected works of classic authors, etc. But one little beat-up book in particular caught my eye: First Principles of Ethics by J. T. Champlin (1851). It was a fascinating little book; I’d forgotten how much I enjoy the subject of ethics–though I’ve read very little in that area. I read a few chapters, with headings such as “Acts of Piety are Right, if directed to the True God,” “The Right, the True, and the Good,” and “The Nature of Virtue.” My tea arrived, and I said thank you with as much masculinity as I could muster up (that is, as if she’d just brought me a 36 oz. Porter House). This time she didn’t giggle though; she laughed right out loud. (But at least she tried to hide it.) I burned my tongue on the tea, then returned to my reading.

On page 179 I learned that ‘virtue’, according to its derivation, means manliness. That struck me. Virtue means manliness; that is, a man is virtuous (’of virtue’) if he is and does exactly what man is meant to be and to do. And on the flip side, he is vicious (’of vice’) if he isn’t or doesn’t. Man was created to glorify and enjoy God, and his greatest responsibility is to love God with his whole mind, heart, soul, and body. To the extent that he fulfills what he is made for, he is a ‘good’ man–a virtuous man–even a ‘true man.’ This is precisely why Christ is both the definition and the criterion of true manliness: “[he does] always those things which please the Father.” He is the ‘true man,’ man being and doing exactly what man is supposed to be and to do. This is also why virtue of any kind is impossible without faith and love to God (Romans 8:5-8, 14:23; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Hebrews 11:6). So, true Christ-likeness, true manliness (or virtue), is expressed in love to God. (Which means that only the Christian can be a true man, and only the Christian can be truly virtuous.) Fascinating. I closed the book, and took a careful sip of tea. (It was very good tea.)

So, I thanked God for the tea, the cake, and for what I was taught and reminded of in that little book: the essence of manliness (virtue) is love to God. I sat for a moment, thankful to the Lord that he has revealed himself to me, and rehearsed my love for him in my heart. Slowly, my surroundings faded back into my consciousness, and I remembered where I was and my former discomfort in being there. I laughed at myself. With my conscience cleared, I replaced the tattered little book on the shelf, paid my tab, and left Heidi’s Tea Shop–having remembered that love to God, true virtue, is what manliness is all about. Tea, or no tea.