Nice or godly?

There is a difference between these two characteristics but it seems that many people confuse the two or make them synonymous. Almost as a side note, the etymology behind "nice" is interesting.  The word previously was an insult, a way of calling someone a simpleton.  But as time has progressed, it has become a way of identifying someone as pleasant and kind.  Obviously there is nothing wrong with these characteristics, but they simply are not synonymous with godliness. 
Comparing "nice" with "godly" reveals that one doesn't necessarily follow from the other, in either direction.  In my experience, it seems that many people see a "nice young man" or a "lovely young lady" and automatically assume that they are Christians.  We tend to look upon the children of others, we see their good manners and courteous behavior and wish our own children would emulate such characteristics.  There is nothing wrong with these characteristics but they do not equate with godliness.  Everyone has sins with which they struggle, including the well behaved child.  Just because child "A" is nice and child "B" is somewhat surly, does not necessarily mean that child "A" is better off. It very well could be that the first child is self centered and vain, while the second has an extremely good work ethic and is self sacrificial.
The point in all of this is simple.  We need to set our standard at a level described by the Church, not by modern American culture.  It is very easy to be nice, it takes a lifetime of hard work, struggle, fasting, prayer and asceticism to be godly.  Striving for nice is far too low of a goal.  We can and should encourage our children and ourselves for the higher goal of godliness.