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)

Can God
change your life?

God has
made it possible for you to know Him, and experience an amazing
change in your own life.

Discover
how you can find peace with God.