The Right Stuff

Mark Dunagan
01/01/17 - Sunday Morning

The Right Stuff

Does character matter? Or does getting things done and charisma matter more? What is character? One definition of character is "the inner form that makes anyone or anything what it is. Applied to a person, it is the essential 'stuff' he or she is made of. The inner reality in which thoughts, speech, decisions, behavior, and relations are rooted" (When No One Sees, Os Guinness, pp. 15,16). Centuries ago Jesus observed that attitudes, thoughts and actions come from the heart (Mark 7:21-23). Thus, what is in my heart is my present character. Long before this Solomon noted the same truth when he said, "Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life" (Proverbs 4:22). Or, in other words, when we guard our heart we are guarding who we are, we are working on our character. "To the Hebrews, someone who is well-intentioned but who fails to follow through is considered irresponsible (James 4:17). Someone who behaves well outwardly but who inwardly is resentful, lustful, selfish, or proud is described as a hypocrite (Matthew 23:25). From such a point of view, character is never simply inherited (Ezekiel 18:20). Nor does it grow on its own, like a weed. It has to be formed and cultivated" (Guinness, p. 17). 

The Real You and Me

Character is not simply an image, neither is it carefully packaging and selling ourselves to look better than we are. Sadly we live in a society where the attitude is far too often, "Fake it", "Ignore the facts", and "Project an image to the public".

Consistency

"A person's core character is best seen in what he or she reveals consistently rather than in a single statement or random act" (Guinness, p. 16). Some have called this "the habits of the heart" or "a long obedience in the same direction". Stated another way, what we do most of the time is our true character, thus:

• "To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure" (Titus 1:15).
• "Make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteous is righteous" (1 John 3:7).
• "You will know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:16). 

What Directs Us?

• Are We Other Directed?

This is where we do things because of peer pressure. An example of this today is that for many children, the peer-group has become more important to the child than the wisdom being provided by their parents. This is where following the crowd, fitting in, being liked and popular is far more important than what is right and true (John 12:42-43; Matthew 23:5).

• Are We Pleasure Directed?

I am going to do what is comfortable and enjoyable at the moment, rather than what is right? (Philippians 3:19).

• Are We Self-Directed?

God must take second place to the things that I want to do at the moment? I pick and choose when I want to put Him first and when I want to put me first?  Instead of working around His will, He must work around my will?

• Are We God Directed?

I am going to do the right thing in every circumstance regardless of the personal cost. My goal is righteousness and not safety (Luke 9:23-25).

The Erosion of Character

• Getting ahead is more important than getting it right.
• God does not expect me to make any real sacrifices, but only token ones.
• When we admire celebrities instead of actual heroes.
• What only matters is what I do in public.
• When it is forbidden to forbid.
• The Bible exists to be twisted to defend or excuse my sins.
• If I don't let my kids have their way they could make things really difficult for me.
• I deserve to be happy all the time. I am more special than the next person.
• Instead of working on my character I spend a lot of time working on my media image. 
• We come up with clever exceptions to Jesus' teachings. When we study a verse we think, "What is the least that this verse requires of me?"

The danger is that all of the above can happen, and we can be very unaware that it is happening to us.

The Foundation of Character

• Deep and Lasting Change

Not just being good now and then, and not just a burst of energy in the right direction for a short period of time. No matter the situation, I am the same godly person, like Joseph or Daniel. "The seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance" (Luke 8:15; Psalm 15:4). 

• Moral Accountability

Especially with God. I realize that God always sees what I am doing or thinking. I live everyday with this awareness and reject the foolishness of thinking that there are times when no one sees me. In the Bible the wicked are pictured as having the attitude that says, "The Lord does not see, nor does the God of Jacob pay heed" (Psalm 94:7). Instead, the person of character wants God to search them so they can root out any and every sin in their lives (Psalm 139:23-24).

• Confession and Renunciation of Sin:

I don't want to remain in rebellion to God, I have no desire to be involved in anything that is evil. "Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.  Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins; let them not rule over me" (Psalm 19:12-13). The person of character does not want to conveniently run into temptation, rather they want to stay far away from it (Matthew 6:13 "Do not lead us into temptation"). "But we have renounced the things hidden because of shame" (2 Corinthians 4:2). Renunciation is the willingness to say a decisive 'no' to bad habits that threaten to enslave us. As C.S. Lewis noted, "There are two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done', and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done'". All that are in heaven or hell have chosen such for themselves. Which brings us to the next point.

• The Subordination of My Will:

Where instead of being pushed or forced to serve God, I intelligently count the cost and I voluntarily lay down my own will and at the same time pick up the cross (Luke 14:27-28). This is more than just doing the type of things I would have done whether or not I became a Christian, or abstaining from things that do not tempt me. Rather, this is forgoing the things that I find most appealing, but God tells me to reject (Matthew 5:29-30). And doing those things that I find most difficult to do, but I know that I need to do them. This is living the life God planned for me, rather than living the life that I had planned for myself (Galatians 2:20).

• Willing to Wait for the Reward:

I don't have to be immediately rewarded to do the right thing. I am willing to wait for the final reward from God Himself. "When you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and Your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you: (Matthew 6:4).

Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.net
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net