Sunday, July 23, 2006

Character Part 1

One thing often leads to another when you are doing a google search on the Internet. I was looking for a particular quote on the subject of “character” and in the process found many more and it started me thinking. The one I was looking for is, “One test of character and virtue is what a person does when no one else is watching” by ethicist, William F. May. Yet Theodore Roosevelt’s comment that “Character, in the long run, is the decisive factor in the life of an individual and of nations alike” resonated as the turmoil in our world plays out on the TV. So what is “character"? Character is defined as the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. Most of us are unable to do anything about the events in the Middle East other than pray. Each morning we get a new quota of 24 hours to spend yet how we choose to spend these hours reveals our character. Many will do just about anything to make more money, gain prestige, and have the good life. However, it is impossible to buy more hours in a day to do it. God describes how he looks at what we do every day in 1 Corinthians 3: 12-13 (NLT): Now anyone who builds on that foundation may use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. I want my time to count for the kingdom and not be wasted. The frenzied hustle of the move is beginning to wind down and I have a few moments to think about choosing activities of the gold, silver, and jewels quality. Summer is half over and the Fall brings new opportunities. Any plans?

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