Most cultures have a wisdom tradition — a set of practices and sayings that are meant to guide right behavior. The Biblical book of Proverbs is a collection of such sayings. You don’t sit down and read Proverbs chapter by chapter but instead stop as you are reading when a particular topic strikes you as demanding your attention for your self-improvement. We recognize this tradition today as seeking the attainment of virtue. Virtue is something which previous generations would have worked hard to attain. Those who behaved in a virtuous manner would have been judged as valued human beings. Alas, in the age of social media virtue is not as highly prized. However, as Jesus warns us “there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.” What today is called transparency is simply another way of saying, live as if your life is an open book.
