Character Counts

With each passing year I find myself more and more asking my husband, "What has happened to good character?"Now, I don't mean to sound like a great-grandmother who rocks on her chair bemoaning modern society while reflecting on the grandeur of yesteryear, but it just seems to me that such values as trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship, are not as commonly honored as they were in times past. As such, I find myself being more disappointed when I witness people being needlessly thoughtless or disrespectful to one another. The shocking part is, I am no longer even sure they are aware of how their words and actions can negatively affect a fellow human being, and more importantly, one's relationship with God. A "little white lie" may not seem like a big deal, but the more we give in to even the smallest degree of dishonor, the easier it becomes a second-nature response.

How many times do we tell the billing company, "The check is in the mail.", knowing it is not? Do we take items that don't belong to us from our workplace, interpreting theft as borrowing, when deep in our hearts we know we have no intention of returning the items? Are we snippy and demeaning to service providers and counter clerks?

The fact of the matter is, we are always being watched, and how we treat others often mirrors how others treat us in return. We must also remember that qualities such as respect and trust are also fragile commodities, and once respect is broken and trust has been betrayed, it takes time to heal what has been wounded.

In my own life, I have found that the speediest way to heal injury is to seek pardon, not only from the male or female we have hurt with our less than honorable behaviors, but more importantly, from our Heavenly Father, God, who is saddened by our transgressions. While our sinful actions are displeasing to God, the good news is that the words, "I am sorry" draw us closer to the spirit of repentance which is required for true forgiveness. As in the above examples, our actions are more significant than whether or not we say the right words. Our faith in God is not something we merely talk about, but it is a living and breathing testament of what we believe. In other words, do we practice the "golden rule" or do we merely talk about it?

If your character has been less than pleasing, won't you join me today by calling out to God, and seeking His better way? Character DOES count.

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Contributed by Melanie Schurr (Copyright (c)2003 Melanie Schurr) Melanie Schurr is author of "Ecstatic Living Ecstatic Loving: How to have more peace and joy in marriage, and life in general by walking in harmony with God," and "Son Salutations: A refreshing collection of modern inspirations for those who seek God each day." For more information, visit her web page at www.angelfire.com/mi/melschurr