My own Character

When I was a young 20 something and I didn't like when life was not going the way that I would like, I had no problems complaining about it. I would tell Heath's parents "Why did this have to happen to me?" You want to know what their response to me was? In their great wisdom they would inform me that it would "Build Character" in my life. I got to where I would not complain as much, I would just say "I hate Character!"

I have been thinking about the "Character" issue that seems to creep upon me so often. Today I read the scripture Romans 5:3-4 that says "...but we also rejoice in suffering because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. My first reaction was 'There is that word again.' But upon looking at it further I decided it was time that I figure out what this "Character" really means in my life. The definition of Character (according to Webster) as it relates here is "one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual." I like this definition because it makes me think 'I want for people to see the "attributes or features" of my life as something that gives other people the desire to get to know me more.' That makes "Character" a good thing to have.

At the risk of losing a reader or two or even having you think I am a Huge Star Wars Fan (I like it, but wouldn't consider myself a big fan,) This scripture Romans 5:3-4 reminds me of something that Yoda said. "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. And hate leads to suffering." While Yoda maybe just a character in a movie, I still think that this statement could apply in real life.

This statement leads to the suffering while Romans 5:3-4 leads us from the suffering. That makes me see that we all have a choice. It is not the "Jedi Knights" or "The Dark Side," but rather the choice of what to do in the midst of suffering. We can either go from suffering to hate, to Anger, to Fear... or we can go from suffering to rejoicing, to Preseverance, to Character, to Hope.

The road through suffering is never an easy road to walk, but I think it is much better to arrive at Hope in the end than to arrive at Fear. I hope and pray that the times of my life when I have been told or have thought on my own "that I was building Character," were times when I was choosing to arrive at Hope. I pray that when other people look at my life they see those "attributes and features" that are reminiscent of Joy, Preseverance, and Hope.

So this is my Christmas wish, that I would be able to share with others the "Character" that I have found in life to be so valuable.