Virtue and the Jewelry Store
A Reflection on Cooperation with Grace
Reflecting on paragraph 1804 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which teaches that human virtues are "firm attitudes, stable dispositions, habitual perfections of intellect and will," I focused on how these qualities must be cultivated through practice and repetition until they become part of our nature. This reminded me of my time managing jewelry stores and how I approached training, knowing that building a successful new associate required the same persistent, incremental approach.
I never immediately placed them on the bridal counter, selling engagement rings and bridal sets. Those were our most delicate and high-stakes transactions. Instead, I began them with watches or fashion jewelry. These were lower-pressure items where they could build some foundational skills.
And I didn’t just throw a training manual at them and expect them to figure it out on their own. I spent time with them, guided them, reassured them. But there was always a point where I’d say, “Now it’s your turn.” I supplied them with study materials that would build and test their knowledge, practice assignments, and encouraged them to pair with others—either peers who were learning alongside them or experienced staff who could offer their knowledge and feedback. I was there for them, but I wouldn’t do it all for them.
The ones who took initiative, who studied, practiced, sought help, and grew, I was more than willing to invest more time in them. Why? Because they respected the process. They took what I gave them and made something more of it. My effort in them produced good results by the effort they applied themselves.
In fact, I had a general rule that for every hour I spent with them in training, they should be spending at least 10 times that on themselves. That could include studying product specifications, practicing their approach with role-play scenarios, and reviewing what they'd learned. I expected that they make a personal investment. It wasn’t that I just wanted to see them do the work, but I knew that true mastery of the craft only came from study, practice, feedback and repetition.
That’s how God forms virtue in us.
He doesn’t just hand us a Bible and say, “Figure it out.” Nor does He do all the work for us while we passively wait. He gives us grace, but He also gives us responsibilities. He guides us personally through prayer, the Church, and the sacraments. But then He also expects us to study, to reflect, to practice virtue, to seek out fellowship and mentorship from others in the faith.
And just like I didn't promote someone to the bridal counter unless they'd mastered the basics, God doesn't pour out deeper graces or responsibilities on us until we've shown we're ready. Not that we earn them through our performance, but because we need to learn how to cooperate with the grace He's already given us and prove faithful in building the foundation.
Otherwise, like a new associate selling a $5,000 ring they're unprepared for, we'd be set up for failure and quite possibly do harm to others in the process by giving poor counsel when someone seeks spiritual guidance, taking on leadership roles we're not ready for, or attempting to mentor others when we ourselves haven't yet developed the virtues we're trying to teach.