If exercise is under-rated, I know temperance is...and it's probably even more difficult. For one thing, it's often misdefined. (Yes, that's a word--I looked it up!) We often think of temperance as avoiding things like alcohol and drugs, but Webster's dictionary also defines temperance more broadly as "moderation in action, thought, or feeling" and "habitual moderation in the indulgence of the appetites or passions."
How important is temperance? Think about it. Over-eating has been shown to be bad for us, but so has under-eating; better to be temperate. Exercising is good for us, but not if we overdo it; better to be temperate. Reading and study, even of the Bible or other religious/devotional books may be good, but too much means other things don't get done and may even be harmful (think vision, etc.); better to be temperate.
I'm not saying I've got this down yet, but I'm definitely beginning to see the importance of it and trying to implement it. Maybe we should all take a good look at our lives and find ways that we can be more temperate in something (or some things). After all, as the apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:5 (KJV), "Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand."
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