The Leader in YouПример

Character

When it comes to building a powerful and purposeful platform for the kingdom of God, substance, not superficiality, is the goal.

Yesterday, we looked at the value of integrity in building a platform that honors God’s call on our lives. Today, we’ll look at the importance of character.

Character is determined by the standards that govern the way we live. “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33). If your life is submitted to God and the authority of his Word, good character will be produced. 

Character is cultivated in every decision we make. Do we come to work late and leave early? That’s stealing company time. Do we take things that don’t belong to us, thinking that someone else has an overabundance? That, too, is stealing. By our actions we’re grooming our minds to respond to similar situations. The bank robber didn’t start off robbing banks but graduated to this level of criminality through a history of bad decision making. When we train ourselves to be godly in the small things, our character will prove itself in split-second decisions that could be life-changing. 

Take for example, posting on social media out of anger. 

Today, we are all one sound bite away from being praised or vilified. People’s lives and character are daily being destroyed for seemingly ignorant and offensive responses to hot-button issues or comments taken out of context. We need to ask God to give us wisdom as we engage in social media.

As you read today’s Scripture, look at how Paul describes those who have been called by God. Paul sees a direct connection between our calling and character as seen through truthfulness, honest work, and speech.