Character Matters
(This article was written during the impeachment hearings of President Clinton)
?It doesn?t matter what he does in his private life, as long as he gets the job done.? Sound familiar? It has become obvious in recent months that we are living in a culture that believes it can divorce personal life from public duties. The general consensus is that someone?s lack of character is none of our business, that character doesn?t matter. Frankly, that?s seriously wrong, big time. The integrity of one?s personal, private choices, that is, one?s character, affects every other area of his life and all those whom he influences. In other words, character does matter. And we all know it.
Character matters when a person applies for credit. Character matters when an individual borrows the possessions of another. Character matters when a person signs a dotted line. Character matters when a dad makes a promise to his child. Character matters when a person stands at an altar and pledges life-long marital faithfulness to another. Character matters when a man stands and swears to uphold and protect the Constitution while he occupies the highest office in the land. (And if his character does not dictate that he keep the former of these vows, we cannot be sure that he will keep the latter.)
But we are living in a culture that does not seem to recognize the importance of character. Why not? Because a nation, or an individual for that matter, who lacks character themselves cannot recognize it nor appreciate it in others. A nation that believes character doesn?t matter will not expect character in their leaders, but will only care about whatever will continue to satisfy their own desires which stem from their own lack of character. That?s why economy matters more than morality in this country.
It hasn?t always been that way. Character used to be indispensable. My father?s generation believed that ?a man?s word is his honor and he expected others to believe the same. For a man to give his word and then not keep his word was to dishonor himself. Back then, that was a dreadful thought for most. Character mattered. A man would fight for his honor. Today a man will toss honor to fight for the right to be dishonorable.
But for God?s people, character, honor, integrity all matter because they matter to God, especially in a culture that devalues character. Philippians 2:15-16 says Christian character must matter in order ?that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may have cause to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. Character matters for the Christian because our character is tied to the Gospel we preach. They will not believe in our Jesus if they do not believe in us. They will not trust our Jesus if they cannot trust us. For the sake of the Gospel, character must be priority.
Someone has said, ?Reputation is what other?s think you are. Character is what God knows you are.? Yet we tend to desire a quality reputation more than we desire quality character. However, reputation is easy, character must be developed. Reputation is surface, character is substantive. Reputation can be manipulated and orchestrated, but character must be forged on the anvil of trial, testing, and time. By reputation a person can be known as spiritual, disciplined, consistent and godly; however, in his lack of character he may use his reputation as a diversion from his private addictions and lusts. One?s reputation may suggest he?ll put his arm around one in trouble, while his lack of character may allow him to pick the pocket of the one he is consoling. While a good reputation is wonderful to have, it doesn?t necessarily indicate good character. But in having character, reputation takes care of itself. In other words, you can have a good reputation (temporarily) and not have character, but if you have character, you reputation will follow suit.
Character will be put to the test time and again, always at varying degrees. With Daniel it was about the king?s food. With Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego it was about the king?s oven. Character will matter when you walk into a video store, convenience store, bookstore and no one you know is around. Character will matter when you handle things with intense power for either usefulness or harm such as television and the Internet. Character will matter when you work with an attractive person of the opposite sex? who?s single, and friendly, and emotionally available. Not only will character matter in these situations, character will be revealed.
I spoke with a friend who had fallen into a dreadful sin. AI don?t know why I did it. It?s just not like me, he said. But it is. That?s why he did it.
Jesus said, ?For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Mark 7:21-23)
When you squeeze a lemon, you get lemon juice. What?s hidden on the inside comes out when the pressure gets applied. And it?s the same with us. When the pressure is on, that?s when we find out who we really are; our true character.
A person of character acts according to principle, not according to the pressure of popular opinion, political approval, potential possessions, or the promise of position. Temptation, inconvenience, discomfort, and opposition are no threat to the person of character because he has made up his mind before these challenges arrive on the scene to test him. Let us decide now Whom we serve and Whose standard we will keep. Because, to our Lord, character matters.
