Quote Sent by Todd

Todd wrote:

Read this today. Really liked it. Sent to my BCC list (Best Contact Considerately). By: http://www.kirkweisler.com/t4d

Our family devotional today was focused on “character” what it is, when we know we are building it, compromising it, and why it’s so very important to us individually and to our society.  So today I want to share a couple points of our discussion with you.

It’s more important to have character than it is to be one.  Being a character is easy…having character can sometimes be hard.  But the results of compromising our character can be hardest of all.

The other day I read a quote that said something to the effect that… “The real character of a person is revealed when they come into a great deal of money or when they lose a great deal of money.”

I remember being taught that character is best defined by what a person does when they don’t think anyone is watching.  Thinking about politicians in this context can start to drive you nuts.  (Sorry - but if you can’t be loyal to your spouse and family then I can’t trust you to be loyal to me and my fellow tax payers. My vote must go elsewhere regardless of your political or populist pedigree). Character requires that we choose what is right over what is popular and convenient… it requires that we stand up for principle and that means that we may often find ourselves standing first, standing out, and standing alone.

Character is developed, strengthened and refined through adversity and trial. It is weakened through the compromising of principle which is often associated with peer pressure, insecurity and the desire to be well thought of.  Interestingly in our attempts to please and appease the masses doesn’t gain us more respect but less.  Now that the masses know we are willing to “give in” they will want us to give in again and again.  At the same time since they know we will give in…they also know they can’t trust us to stand firm.  So they will use us to get what they want until we have nothing left to give…then they will find someone else to exploit.  Their is no loyalty when there is no character.   Lacking in this said scenario is trust and respect for self, for others and for truth.

Unfortunately, for those who wish it did not…truth comes with some absolutes, some lines that cannot be crossed.  Honesty, Integrity, Accountability, Responsibility are all words we associate with men and women of character.  (Notice perfection is not one of those words)  We do not have to be perfect to have character.  But we do need to have a desire to do and to be the best we can…and to be willing to live in a manner that places the importance people and principle before our own self interest.  Character is selfless and an essential ingredient in the spirit of the servant leader.

My wife shared this quote with us this morning…

“Character is revealed…in the power to discern the suffering of other people when we ourselves are suffering; in the ability to detect the hunger of others when we are hungry; and in the power to reach out and extend compassion for the spiritual agony of others when we are in the midst of our own spiritual distress. Thus, character is demonstrated by looking and reaching outward when the natural and instinctive response is to be self-absorbed and turn inward”. ~ David A. Bednar

Then she closed by saying..

“The true character of a man is revealed by what he does at home.”  Rebecca Weisler