It's A Matter of Character

“It's no longer about his or her character. It's about ours.” - S. Eline

There’s a word for what a person is deep down on the inside; it's called, Character!? In this sense, character refers to a person’s virtues, their good side. But when we associate it with someone else, its meaning can take on a whole different level of complexity because it becomes personal, subject to interpretation, and all too often?judgemental.

Character has many facets.? The ancient Stoics saw wisdom, courage, justice and temperance as the roots of good character, but equally important, they believed it important that our actions reflect our character (“Focus on being good, not just discussing virtue” - M. Aurelius). G. Richard Schell, author of ?The Conscience Code: Lead with Your Values. Advance Your Career, writes, “Character has many facets, from generosity to loyalty, but the one you will call on most often is courage.? Courage is your willingness to step forward on behalf of your values even though you are experiencing anxiety about the consequences of doing so.”

But it was the words of Pastor Andy Stanley in his book, Louder Than Words that gave me pause to think about how character will play out in all our lives this coming Tuesday and Wednesday.? “Character is the will to do what is right–as defined by God–regardless of personal cost……It is the internal script that will determine your response to failure, success, mistreatment, and pain. It reaches into every single facet of your life.? It is more far-reaching than your talent, your education, your background, or your network of friends. Those things can open doors for you, but your character will determine what happens once you pass through those doors. ??

It's no longer about the character of the candidates; that horse has been beaten to death.? It's now about our character!? I’m not talking about voting, that is a civic responsibility.? It is about the character we will each demonstrate when the outcome of the election is announced, for it is often in our greatest moments of elation and deepest periods of despair that true character is revealed.??

Regardless of the election’s outcome, the next few months will be rocky.? More than ever before, it will be our character that becomes the foundation from which we

Embrace the Challenge.