What is Christian Character – Part 1

Many times over the years we have heard people question the value of character in a person’s life.  So, as a two-part series, I want to explore the importance of character in our lives and the lives of people who seek to be leaders both in business, politics, and in relationships across the country. 

What is character?    

Character is defined as strength of moral fiber.  A.W. Tozer described character as “the excellence of moral beings.” As the excellence of gold is its purity and the excellence of art is its beauty, so the excellence of man is his character. Persons of character are noted for their honesty, ethics, and charity. A lack of character is moral deficiency, and persons lacking character tend to behave dishonestly, unethically, and uncharitably.

A person’s character is the sum of his or her temperament, thoughts, intentions, desires, and actions. It is good to remember that character is gauged by general tendencies, not on the basis of a few isolated actions. We must look at the whole life. Several examples of this are:  King David (Psalm 78:72), Ruth (Ruth 3:11), Hanani (Nehemiah 7:2), and Job (Job 2:3).  Character is influenced and developed by our choices, and will help us weather the storms of life and keep us from sin.   

Several ways we can develop character is by:

1) Controlling our thoughts (Philippians 4:8)

2) Practicing Christian virtues (2 Peter 1:5-6)

3) Guarding our hearts (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 15:18-20)

4) And keeping good company (1 Corinthians 15:33).

Men and women of character will set a good example for others to follow, and their godly reputation will be evident to all. (Titus 2:7-8)

A person with a spirit of excellence can be trusted to do quality work every time without question, no matter the task. Excellence goes hand in hand with integrity. The character of an individual can be judged by what they do when no one is watching. The person who strives to do things with excellence, even when no one else notices, is a person with integrity.  That is a person who can be trusted.

People who exhibit excellence are like a man who spends endless hours day after day for many months carving a 30-foot marble statue that will be placed in the middle of the town square. After nearly a year, his work is almost complete. But one day, while putting the final touches on the face of the statue, the chisel slips creating a small scratch on the statue’s nose. Without hesitation, the artisan stops his work and begins carving a new statue from a fresh block of marble. When asked why he started over when people wouldn't notice such a tiny flaw from so high up, he simply states, “I will know.”

This same kind of excellence can be implemented into every facet of a Christian’s life. While most people within the church will not be carving a marble statue, they certainly will be involved in some area of Christian service.  An individual who wants to excel in everything they do, no matter how small the job may seem, has a desire that surpasses any requirement of being noticed or appreciated. There is an understanding that even if no one else knows, two people will know: they will and God will. And God’s approval is much more valuable to them than the praise of man.

“The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” (Proverb 10:9)

As Christians, we need to strive for success. Our strong Christian character needs to stand out to a lost world. The world needs to see Christians who can handle adversity as well as success. Success tests the crucible of our Christian character! Let’s remember who we are and who brought success our way.

Join me again on Friday for Part 2 as we look at developing Christian "character" in our lives.   

Be sure to read Part-2 of this two-part series on Christian Character.
Developing Godly Character – Part 2

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