Virtue is the nature of conscience bestowed on humans by Heaven, and it is the most beautiful element in the essence of a human life. Therefore, the most important thing for a person is to maintain kindness and keep improving one’s morality. A true gentleman likes to read positive books and do good deeds. Not only that, he will also encourage and promote kind deeds in public and teach others to do the same. This way, people will become enlightened and live in peace and prosperity based on Heaven's principles. That is why an ancient saying stated, "A gentleman is one who treats others with benevolence." Examples of ancients offering advice on kind deeds are countless. The following are but a few.
 
In the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC – 476 BC), Zilu (542 – 480 BC) of the State of Lu was an arrogant man. According to Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian), when Zilu went to see Confucius for the first time, he wore a feather on his head and a belt of wild boar to show his arrogance and belligerence. After Confucius told him about the virtue of modesty and the importance of learning, Zilu was moved and willingly changed into students' clothes to learn etiquette from Confucius. Teaching him the ways to be a gentleman and ways to govern, Confucius said, "Righteousness is most important for a gentleman. As a gentleman, bravery without righteousness is disorder; for a petty person, bravery without righteousness is theft. A gentleman seeks the great way, not the food, and he worries about the great way, not poverty.” “An official must set a good example for others; he must never be lax in working hard and caring for the people." Zilu followed Confucius on a tour of states, promoting virtue, and his own realm of mind kept transcending. He was faithful to his teacher and devoted to his state. Confucius praised him, "Zilu is always pleased to learn about his mistakes and never hesitates to redress them, and that's called 'progress'.” Later Zilu became an important official in Puyi County. Three years after he started governing the county with etiquette, Puyi turned into a peaceful and prosperous area, and the people there were all respectful of one another. Confucius attributed it all to his student's kindness.
 
Wu Qianjin of Shanxi Province in the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644 AD) was a strong and aggressive man. As a martial arts master, he tended to use his fists against anyone who happened to cross his path in fits of rage. He grabbed others' property and money at will, and everyone was afraid of him. One hot day, he went up to a terrace to cool off. People who were already on the terrace were terrified when they saw him and disappeared elsewhere. Only one old man stayed, fearless. Wu Qianjin said menacingly, "Everyone left except for you. Do you think my fists lack ferocity?" "You are completely mistaken," replied the old man. "Your parents raised you, hoping that you would be useful to the nation and the people. You are an expert in martial arts, and yet you never think of how to contribute to your country; rather, you are satisfied to be scum. The country has one less talented person. What a pity! What a pity!" Upon hearing the old man's words, Wu Qianjin said in remorseful tears, "Everyone around me said I was a bad guy, so I regarded myself as a bad guy. Your words today were like the sounds of the morning bell and evening drum, alarming my conscience. But I've been a bad person for so long now, I wonder if I can ever become a righteous gentleman even if I wanted to. It's like an eclipsed moon – difficult to become round again." The old man said, "If you were serious about amending your ways and started cultivating yourself and being a good person, I don't see why you couldn't." From then on Wu Qianjin changed and started serving his country. Later he became Deputy Marshal of the army. His strict and impartial command together with benevolence toward the people made him widely praised by the people.
 
Xiang is the half-brother of Emperor Shun (2294 – 2184 BC). He was arrogant and domineering and planned to harm Shun numerous times. Emperor Shun always touched Xiang with actions demonstrating virtue and filial piety. Eventually, Xiang repented and exchanged his misguided ways with kindness. Xiang appointed talented and virtuous people in his fiefdom of Youbi. He was diligent in governing with the goal of benefitting the people. The locals built a shrine to commemorate Xiang. This enlightened people to the fact that when a gentleman cultivates his own mortality, he can reform people as bad as Xiang. People further appreciated the depth and breadth of Shun’s high level of virtuous influence.
 
An ancient saying stated, "It's human to err, but to correct that error is an act of great kindness." To teach with virtue and to change with kindness may inspire people to reflect on the real meaning of human life and other ethics-related issues such as how to show love to others and avoid being lost in the pursuit of self-interest and pleasures. The power of kindness is tremendous, because it is omnipresent and capable of changing one's heart from its very core. It guides people in their pursuit and practice of truth, leads them back to their conscience, encourages them to make good and right choices, and dissolves everything that is unrighteous.
 
善化的力量
 
德性是上天赋予人的良知本性，是人生命本质中最美好的东西。因此能够保持善性和不断升华道德，就是人最应该力行的。君子喜欢看善书、行善事，不仅自己行善，而且提倡、推广到四方，感化世人，使人觉悟而由此带来福祉，使一切归于天理正道，所以古语说“君子莫大乎与人为善”。古人劝善的例子不胜枚举，以下为其中几例。
春秋时，鲁国的子路“好勇力，志伉直，冠雄鸡，佩暇豚”（《史记》），第一次拜见孔子时，头上插著雉羽，腰佩暇豚服饰，一副好勇之态。孔子向他讲了学习的重要性：“人君而无谏则失正，士而无教友则失听，御狂马不释策，操弓不反檠，木受绳则直，人受谏则圣，受学重问，孰不顺哉？君子不可不学。”子路听了很受教育，心悦诚服的穿上了儒生的衣服，向孔子学习礼乐。孔子向他讲述了君子之道和为政之道：“君子义以为上，君子有勇而无义为乱，小人有勇而无义为盗。君子谋道不谋食，忧道不忧贫”、“做官就要以身作则，还要勤政爱民，永不懈怠”。子路追随孔子周游列国弘扬道德，思想境界也在一直不断提升，他忠心于老师，尽职于国家。孔子称赞他说：“子路闻过则喜，过而能改，其进矣！”子路后来出任蒲邑大夫，实行礼乐教化，果然经过三年，蒲邑大治，民风淳厚，孔子三称其善。
 
明代时，山右人伍千筋力大好勇，平日常舞枪弄棒，一句话不合心意，就出重拳打人。或争夺别人财物不偿还，或借人钱财不立借据，人们都害怕他。一天，天很热，他上城楼乘凉，有几人先在楼上乘凉，看见他来了，都吓得避到别处去了，只有一位老人仍坐在那里不动。伍千筋盛气凌人地说：“众人都跑了，你还不动，是不是认为我拳脚不厉害？”老人说：“你执迷不悟啊。你父母抚育你长大成人，希望你成为于国于民有益之人。你有一身武艺，不思报效国家，却甘心作无赖，使国家少了一个可用之才，可惜！可惜！”伍千筋听了老人教诲，非常惭愧，他流著泪说：“周围人都说我是可恶的坏人，我也就当自己是坏人。今日听老人好话，如同听到晨钟暮鼓，令我猛然清醒过来。只是我作坏人时间长了，就像月亮残缺难圆一样，纵然痛改前非，不知能不能成为正人君子？”老人说：“你果真回心转意，修身向善，又怎么不能修成正人君子呢？”伍千筋从此改恶从善，报效国家，后来官至副元帅，治军严明，爱民如子，受到人们的称赞。
 
像是舜帝的同父异母之弟，骄横跋扈，多次设计害舜。舜总以孝德的行为感化他，终于使他悔过自新，弃恶从善。后来像在封地有鼻任用贤人，推天子的恩泽于百姓，勤于政务，造福于民。当地的苗民后来因怀念他而为他建了寺庙。这使人们领悟到：君子修养自己的品德，即使遇到如像这样不善良的人，也能把他感化。更使人感到：舜的高尚品德进入人心的深度和德泽流传的辽远长久。
 

古语说：“人孰无过，过而能改，善莫大焉”，德教善化可以启发人的心灵，去思考人生的真谛及如何关爱他人的道德问题，而不是陷溺于利欲之中。善化的力量是巨大的，因为善的力量无处不在，可以从根本上改变人心，引导人追求和实践真理，回归良知本性，做出善良、正义的选择，而令一切不正的因素解体。