The impact of good character affects those around us, and the Lord desires to renew our character. Character is defined as the way someone thinks, feels, and behaves.[1] Have you noticed great people in the Bible were people of outstanding character? These are the kind of people the Lord used to build His Kingdom.
Noah was called a preacher of righteousness, and Daniel refused to worship other gods when tempted. Joseph ran away from the temptation of Potiphar’s wife, and Mary believed the angel’s message about her pregnancy. None of these people were perfect, but they made a daily decision to follow the Lord faithfully during the trials of life. You can do the same!
A friend was fun to be around, but as I got to know him, I realized he had poor character resulting in destructive life choices. When he became a believer in Jesus, the Lord began to develop his character like a building under construction. The Lord is more interested in our character development than our earthly comfort.
Ephesians 4:22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. [2] As we put on the new self, our heart changes and, thus, our character.
Samuel’s Sons Had Poor Character
Good character is not something we are born with but results in choices we make over time. We become teachable and easily corrected when we faithfully follow Jesus as our Savior. This leads to repentance and asking for forgiveness. Our character becomes corrupted when we turn away from the Lord and His guidance.
Poor character is like hiking in the wilderness without a compass to guide us. Samuel was of high character, but his children chose to walk away from the Lord, resulting in poor character. Samuel 8:1As Samuel grew old; he appointed his sons to be judges over Israel. 2 Joel and Abijah, his oldest sons, held court in Beersheba. 3 But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice. [3] Samuel’s sons’ poor character affected them and the nation of Israel. Think how their lives and the nation could have been different if they had been people of high character.
Developing Godly Character
Godly character is developed one day at a time by developing good habits. When you spend time in God’s word, you begin filling your mind with good thoughts that change your thoughts. God’s word is powerful as we spend time with the Lord; it transforms us. When we continue to act godly, we develop godly actions. Over time our godly actions turn into a person of godly character. Matthew 6:33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [4]
To learn about the impact of good character, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/journey-kings
[1] https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/character
[2-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.