The Power and Presence of Character
This is the first in a four article series that analyzes character and how men today can build lives of character in a world gone wild.
To read part two, “How to Build Character,” click HERE.
Read time: 8 mins / Author: Paul Records
A little kingdom I possess, where thoughts and feelings dwell; and very hard the task I find of governing it well. –Louisa May Alcott
Character. It’s a word we use but often neglect to define.
What is character?
What do we mean when we say that something “builds character”?
What is the opposite of character?
What are the markers or indicators that a person has character?
Earlier this week, I wrote these four questions on a legal pad, and they have stirred my thoughts. In a culture that celebrates fluid values, relative truth, and a low moral compass, it seems that good character is getting harder to find.
This week, I have reflected on a series of spiritual leaders from my youth who, in my mind, stood as beacons of godliness. They were men who exemplified truth, righteous living, and faithfulness to God. They were each defined by their personal devotions and a life that left a deep trail of dedication in its wake. Growing up, simply being in the same room with these men stirred in me a deeper level of spiritual sensitivity and strength. There have been many moments recently when I wished that these men were still living.
I miss being stirred simply by hearing them talk or pray. I miss the tears that welled up in their eyes in everyday conversations as they described who God was to them. None of these men were perfect, but they showed what was possible when we invest ourselves entirely in God’s Word, ways, and will.
I do not want to sound like a “doom and gloom” commentator running through the streets reporting that the sky is falling. But, if I am honest, it feels like it is getting harder to find men who are distinguished by an thriving relationship with God. To show what I mean, consider the following news headlines posted over the past week:
Former politician and his top aide arrested in corruption probe.
Police officer charged in bribery crackdown.
City alderman to plead guilty today to following corruption charges.
Christian pastor faces federal fraud charges.
Pastor shames his congregation for not buying him a luxury watch.
Legacy of former owner of sports team defined by blatant cheating of a magnitude investigators called “unprecedented.”
Sadly, these headlines are all real and have been pulled from mainstream media sources within the last seven days. Central to each news story is a man with a corrupted sense of character. In each story, we see the evidence of a culture that considers good values to be fluid, truth to be relative, and a moral compass unnecessary. As Charles Swindoll has written,
“It seems that no place remains sacred any longer; not the Oval Office or the White House or the Pentagon or Capitol Hill or NASA or Wall Street or the sports arena or the halls of academia or the medical and legal professions or, for that matter, the whole world of religion.” (1)
This is what I mean when I say that I desire, now more than ever, the company of men who so deeply walk with God and, as it was said of Job, “hold tightly to integrity” (Job 2:3). At this point in my life, I need men like this. At times, the rise of secular culture feels all-consuming. Therefore, I need men who cultivate in me a greater sensitivity for God and His Word. I need men to show me what it looks like to live with a high standard of godly character in an ungodly age. Furthermore, I know that to preserve my influence, I need to be a man of high character.
This brings me back to the four questions I asked at the beginning of this article. How do we define and distinguish a life of character? What does character look like with skin on? To answer these questions, we must travel back to ancient times and discover the word’s original meaning.
A DISTINCTIVE MARK
Interestingly, the word “character” finds its origin in ancient Greece. When Greek artisans carved classical figures out of blocks of marble, they used a series of sculpting tools. One of these tools was known as a kharakter.
This tool was used to chisel into marble and to stamp the sculptor’s name or distinctive mark into the finished product.
Gradually, however, the word broadened in its meaning to include not only the tool used but the tooling process from beginning to end. Thus, the word came to represent the formation process by which the marble was shaped by the creator and ultimately marked or stamped by his hands. As Henry Clay Trumbull explains in his 1894 essay, kharakter served as:
“another name for the signature, or monogram, or personal superscription, or trade-mark, of the potter, the painter, the sculptor, the writer, or any other artist or artisan, or inventor, as indicative of the personality of the maker, or of the distinctive individuality of the object. It is the visible token by which a thing is distinguished from every other thing.” (2)
As the word evolved through the ages, the word kharakter began to refer to any distinctive mark, token, or feature. Then, in the early sixteenth century, the word came to describe a person’s distinguishing qualities. This is where we get our modern understanding of the word. As the Oxford English Dictionary notes, the current meanings of the word may refer to:
“The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual; the distinctive nature of something; a person’s usual pattern of behavior.”
WHAT “BUILDS” CHARACTER?
I must admit that whenever I consider how character is built or developed, I think of the Calvin and Hobbes comics I read as a child. Calvin, the young protagonist with a thirst for adventure, is often pulled out of his imagination by his father to complete mundane household chores. When Calvin demands an explanation for why he must complete his chores, his father’s only answer is, “Because it builds character.” But alas, I digress.
When we say that something “builds character,” we mean that the experience shapes or forms a person just as a sculptor shapes a piece of marble. Because we believe in a perfect, all-knowing creator, we also believe that our creator can use the events and experiences of our lives for our good and the benefit of our character.
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4.
It’s worth noting that another meaning of the word “character” suggests a strong mental or emotional constitution. The Cambridge Dictionary states that this meaning of the word refers to:
“The quality of being determined and able to deal with difficult situations.”
This tells us that hard and pressing tasks form a greater level of emotional strength and mental toughness in us. People with character possess a high level of resilience that pushes them to stand and move forward, despite trials or tests. As the stoic philosopher Epictetus, wrote:
“It is circumstances which show what men are. Therefore, when a difficulty falls upon you, remember that God, like a trainer of wrestlers, has matched you with a rough young man. “For what purpose?” you may say. Why that you may become an Olympic conqueror; but it is not accomplished without sweat. In my opinion, no man has had a more profitable difficulty than you have had if you choose to make use of it as an athlete would deal with a young antagonist.”
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY
We cannot ignore that character also points to a high level of morality, ethics, and good values. A person with character lives by a moral code and abides by personal values. They do not sweep ethics under the rug or withhold the truth to save face. They act according to their convictions rather than external pressures. They know who they are and possess a firm sense of identity. As Henry Clay Trumbull notes,
“In the higher and more restricted sense, ‘character’ is a pre-eminence of personality in the direction of one’s better and nobler being. . . Not eccentricity or mere singularity, but personality—God-reliant, hell-defiant, and man-resistant personality—is the basis of true character. It is being one’s self, as in the sight of God, that shows character, and that secures the recognition of character.”* (2)
A word often associated with character is “integrity.” Though similar, integrity suggests “consistency of character” and comes from the Latin integer defined as “the state of being whole or undivided.” A man of integrity is one who lives the message they preach with their words. They are consistently the same person publicly as they are in private. A person with integrity does not drop their character in the face of external threats, pressures, or temptations. Rather, they allow their character to form their conduct.
THE ABSENCE OF CHARACTER
I am convinced that the absence of character produces moral corruption. If we say that a person lacks character, we may mean they lack mental toughness or resilience. But we may also mean that they lack any guiding values or virtues. To show what the opposite of character looks like, we can survey any of the news stories presented at the beginning of this article.
SELF-MASTERY IS KEY
In an article published by The Art of Manliness entitled “What is Character?” Bret McKay writes that one of the main qualities of character is moral discipline.
“The one quality most associated with character in the nineteenth century was self-mastery – the dominion of an individual over his impulses and desires, so that he was in control of them, and not the other way around. A man of self-mastery can direct his will and make his own choices, rather than being a slave to his impulses.”
McKay explains that some of the most significant influences on our character are the people we surround ourselves with and the significant figures in our formative years. This leads us to conclude that if we desire to develop our character, then we must surround ourselves with people who model noble values. As 1 Corinthians 15:33 declares, “bad company corrupts good character” (NLT). This also leads us to conclude that if we desire to preserve our character amidst rising secular trends, we must continually fight for mastery over our base impulses. As Proverbs 16:32 admonishes, “A man who rules his own spirit is better than he who takes a city.”
Be more concerned with your character then your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. –John Wooden
PURSUING GODLY CHARACTER
At this point, I reflect once more on the spiritual giants of my youth. They were not only distinguished by good character, but they were distinguished by godly character. This is the kind of character I want to cultivate. Not only do I want to be honest and ethical, but I want to stay spiritually sensitive in the face of cultural pressures. Like the three Hebrew boys, I want the courage to stand when much of my generation is bowing to false idols. We see an example of this kind of character in a man named Hananiah who served under Nehemiah during the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
I gave the charge of Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the leader of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. Nehemiah 7:2.
Hananiah was trusted with guarding the citadel of Jerusalem, not only because he was qualified but because of his godly character. He feared God more than many of his peers! In other words, his distinctive mark was a high level of worship, personal devotion, and spiritual discipline. He lived to please His God more than he lived to satisfy his impulses. Hananiah knew how to make a stand and defend a great city, and thus he was trusted with a great task. I wonder if this kind of character is what King Solomon referred to when he wrote, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).
Lastly, for the sake of example, let’s analyze two Old Testament case studies.
JOSIAH, THE KING
Becoming king at the age of eight, Josiah grew into one of the godliest kings in the history of Judah. Of Josiah, it was written:
And all his days they (Judah) departed not from following the Lord, the God of their fathers. 2 Chronicles 34:33.
Notice the wording of this scripture. In all the days of Josiah, the people of Judah followed the Lord. Sadly, not long after his death, the kingdom descended into spiritual decline for the last time before outside forces conquered it. While Josiah was alive, however, the judgment and wrath of God were held back. This had been foretold by a prophetess early in his reign.
But as for the king of Judah. . . because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you,” says the Lord. “Surely I will gather you to your fathers, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; and your eyes shall not see all the calamity which I will bring on this place and its inhabitants. 2 Chronicles 34:26-28.
The life of Josiah rises in the history of Judah as a towering example of godly character. Because of his deep and sincere repentance, God promised Josiah that he would not see the coming judgment.
Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him. 2 Kings 23:25.
JEHOIDA, THE PRIEST
Jehoida served as a priest in Jerusalem during an age of political upheaval. A wicked king was assassinated, and in the void of leadership, an evil queen asserted her power and took the throne. In the process, she attempted to murder all the princes and future heirs. Amidst the chaos, however, Jehoida and his wife saved a young prince named Joash and raised the boy until he was old enough to take the throne. The queen was eventually cast out, and Joash was installed as the rightful king.
Notice how the Bible describes the influence of Jehoida during the reign of King Joash.
Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest. 2 Chronicles 24:2.
And they offered burnt offerings in the house of the Lord continually all the days of Jehoiada. 2 Chronicles 24:14.
As it was said of Josiah, it was said of Jehoida. As long as he lived, character was king! On the day he died, however, corruption swept in and took over.
Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah. . . left the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served wooden images and idols; and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem because of their trespass. 2 Chronicles 24:17-19.
The legacy of these two men shows us the far-reaching influence of godly character.
As long as character reigns inside of the kingdom, corruption remains outside of the kingdom.
The power of character is that its presence holds back corruption, judgment, and instability.
One man of character has the potential to preserve an entire kingdom.
As Josiah and Jehoida did in their generations, what men will stand up to the snarling beast of corruption in this generation? Whose influence will push the beast back and hold it at bay? These are questions we must ask ourselves because when a kingdom, nation, or family finds itself in a state of spiritual decline, the elephant in the room is often a lack of godly character. When a man fails morally or is caught in a public scandal, the cause is always connected to a lapse of character at some small point in his past. Long before he ends up in a news headline, he forgets who he is, stops fighting for self-mastery, and becomes a slave to his impulses.
I am convinced that the current generation desperately needs more men of character. We need politicians with character, civic leaders with character, athletes with character, celebrities with character, pastors with character, fathers with character, and common men with character.
Ultimately, we need men who will allow themselves to be shaped and formed by the character of God.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
In Galatians 6:17, the Apostle Paul wrote that he carried in his body “the marks of the Lord Jesus.” Just as Jesus gave himself to the sacrifice of the cross and allowed His body to be cut and beaten, the Apostle Paul gave himself to the sacrifice of ministry and allowed his back to be cut and beaten. In Paul’s eyes, these scars were not something to be ashamed of. They served as distinctive marks that revealed God’s ownership of his life. Furthermore, they proved Paul’s character.
There was a period in ancient times when many of the bricks used to form roads and build monuments came from the plains of Shinar in the Euphrates River valley or the banks of the Nile River. After a brick was formed in either of these two places, it received an engraved stamp known as a kharakter that designated the ruler by whose orders the brick was made.* (2)
In Romans 12:2, Paul challenged us to submit to the transformation process through which we become “good and acceptable” vessels in the hands of God. This reminds me of the tooling and stamping process through which Greek artisans carved their distinctive marks and signatures into the marble, and the process by which brick-makers paid homage to their rulers. This also reminds me that I must place my life into the hands of God and allow Him to shape my life from the inside out. I must allow Him to stamp His signature into my heart. Only then will I be able to stand the test of time and say that I am a man of character.
References
(1) Charles Dyer, Character Counts (Moody Press: Chicago, 2010) 9.
(2) H. Clay Trumbull, Character-Shaping and Character-Showing (John D. Wattles & Co: Philadelphia, 1894) 10 & 31.
