Sometimes I feel like a nut.........

"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character." - Albert Einstein

I can across this quote the other day and I had to sit and ponder it for a while. Character and the building of it, is not something we hear a lot about these days. It's not "PC", not cool or hip, or "fly" as my kids say, anymore. When did it go out of style to be a person of integrity? After all, that is how we could describe someone of strong character, isn't it?

Character is something that is built on a daily basis. It's what is being built when no one is around to watch what you are doing and how you are acting or reacting. It's about what is going on inside your heart. If character were an oak tree, attitude would be it's acorn. Have you ever found yourself having a bad day that you just can't seem to shake? The dog wakes you up at 5am, your car won't start, your kids are begging for last minute homework help, the coffee maker won't work, it goes on and on and on. By the time you get on your way, you're late, and when someone cuts you off in traffic you explode. You call down all sorts of calamities upon their head, even if it's silently. The heart is never silent to God. You go on through your day snapping at people, having no patience and a hard shell starts to develop around your heart. Left that way, over time, your heart starts to harden and you become your snappy attitude; always thinking everyone else has it better, easier and they're all out to get you.

Your day could have gone a little differently. This time, when the dog wakes you, you take time to appreciate the sunrise God created. When your car won't start you realize you can slow down, wait for a repair and not rush into a panic. You can thank God your kids want your help and, if they're teenagers, be amazed they deem you smart enough to help them. Once you're on your way you stop and treat yourself to a Starbucks since the coffee maker wasn't working. You reach your destination, maybe a little late, but relaxed and peaceful.

How many of us have lived out either scenario above or at least something similar? Life is not easy, things go wrong, but we don't have to be at the mercy of our emotions and attitude. I'm not saying I'm always living out the second scenario, truth be told, sometimes it's more like the first, but usually it's somewhere in between. The attitude we choose to live our life with will eventually define us. From an irritable attitude can grow self-pity and martyrdom which will foster a sense of entitlement. An arrogant attitude will harden our hearts, squeezing out any empathy that may be there and causing us to scoff at others less fortunate.

Why is this matter of character so important? Beyond the simple fact that living with character makes for a happier life, we need it if we are to be any good to the kingdom. It's important to allow God to develop the character needed to carry the gifts and callings He has chosen for us. To do otherwise is to court trouble. God blesses men and women of good character. The word of God tells us "Moral character makes for smooth traveling" (Proverbs 11:5 The Message Bible).

All this talk of character and the building thereof had me thinking again. It's something I try not to do too often, I get a headache. How is character built? Where does it come from? We have to turn again to the word of God. In Romans 5: 3-5 "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." If you're honest and you're anything at all like I am, that scripture made you groan and want to hide your head in the sand because it all started with suffering! It's kind of like that virtue called patience; we all want it, but since "tribulation worketh patience" we don't want to pray for it!! But the benefits outweigh the pains.

It has to become something we work on daily. Every time we choose the right attitude we're watering that little acorn of character. Every time we over look someone else's faults or slights against us that little acorn gets a little more of what it needs to grow into an oak. Sure, it takes time and effort, but be assured, it's worth it. Do you want God to be your shield? Proverbs 2:7 says the answer is to walk with integrity. There's quite a list of the benefits of living a life of character. All the following are found in Proverbs; 2:7 God will be your shield, 11:3 guidance, 11:20 God relishes integrity, 20:7 blessings on our children, 14:32 integrity creates a safe place to live.

I want to be a person of character, of integrity. Do you? Are you willing to let God work in your heart to build the character the he wants to have there? Are you willing to make the hard choices concerning your attitudes on a daily basis? Are you willing to spend time watering that little acorn with the "miracle grow" of the word of God? If you are, then I know the Lord will be faithful to grow that tiny acorn into a towering oak tree of character, one that dominates the landscape of your life and draws people in. Then God will pour out the richness of all His blessings on you and on your family.

So the next time someone calls you a nut, just look them dead in the eye, give them a big smile and say "thank you very much"!

Soaked in His blessings,
Spokenfor



Proverbs 22:1 - A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.