Character

As I've said before, the scary thing about writing a blog and posting it for the world to see is that it is a mirror that my life is reflected in and judged by.  I want to be a man of integrity so that what I say and what I do are one in the same.  My son rightfully challenged me about the lack of integrity in my ministry when he said that who I was in the pulpit and who I was at home were two different people.

Teaching a child character is tough.  Especially today when there are more examples of a lack of character in public figures than the opposite.  The persons of character aren't always in the spotlight so that we can point to them and show others what character looks like.

My parents worked hard to teach me character.  My Mom, especially, told me stories about her father and how the kids could go into any store where my grandfather had an account and charge to his name...because he paid his bills.  He was a man of his word.  His promises were not hollow.  He was different than others in his community who failed to keep their word.

Character is based in the righteousness and holiness of God.  There is no duplicity in him.  As the saying goes, you see what you get or you get what you see.  It's the same either way.  God doesn't flip flop around.  He doesn't change his rules to fit the situation.

As a child I was taught to be honest.  I was taught to be trustworthy.  I was probably taught a little too strongly about the watchful eye of the cops (and by inference, God).  I had a lot of fear and my obedience was based on getting caught.  I was never able to lie without a terribly guilty conscience.  Those are good things but I was motivated by the big club in the sky that was going to pound me on the head if I stepped out of line.  I have, thankfully, grown to know God as a kind, loving heavenly Father who wants to nurture me to righteousness.

Character motivates us when no one is looking.  We aren't to be like the Pharisees and others who stand on the corner and do good things so everyone else can see us.  I like to drive, so those examples come easily.  It is an example of character when we use our turn signals even when no one is behind us.  We stop at stop signs even when no one is there to see us.  We return money we find when no one sees us pick it up.  We behave in the way we behave not because someone is looking but because we want to please our heavenly Father.

Character in American culture has unfortunately been replaced by thousands of laws.  And there will be thousands more created if we don't work on developing our character.  We will never have enough laws to cover every situation we will face in our lives where we need to exercise character.

I knew a guy once who didn't receive a bill for many months for a service he enjoyed.  He used the service almost daily.  The provider was not a sound businessperson and the bills were overlooked.  Finally, the time came that the business became aware of the failure to send out a bill.  They waived the past fees and asked the recepient of the service to begin paying as agreed.  The person instead sent in all the back fees.  Why?  Because he had benefited from the service and it wasn't right that he get them for free just because the company failed to bill.

My son and his wife rented their house out to someone while they were in Africa for a year.  The renters agreed to pay the rent that was asked.  They didn't.  They eventually had to be moved out of the house.  When they hired the movers (instead of paying the rent) they packed up everything...including things that weren't their's.  They took Christmas decorations, garbage cans, stools for the bar, silverware dividers.  You would think that at the new house they would have discovered these things and returned them.  Probably what kept them from coming back was embarrassment.  They were too embarrassed to do the right thing.  Character does the right thing even when you are embarrassed by your behavior.

I could give some other examples but they might get too close to home.

I want what motivates me to be righteous to be the character of Christ being formed in me as I repent of my fleshly ways and ask God to purify me.  I want my motivation for doing good to be not the rewards from others who might see me but the pleasure I bring my Father by living a life that brings glory to him.  I'm counting on my good friends to help me see the things that are not in line with God's character in my life so that I can repent of them and allow God to form his character in me.