Content of our Character Pt. 1

During his famous, "I Have A Dream," speech, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. longed for a day where his children would not be judged by the color of their skin but by the, "content of their character."

Thankfully, I know nothing about unjust discrimination because my skin color isn't a certain shade. Sadly, many have and continue to face similar prejudices based on nothing more than genetics.

While the focus of this post does not fall on racial discrimination, I would like to talk about the content of our characters. 

Like Dr. King, I hope that people will judge me by the content of my character. As I type that, there is a certain amount of pressure that I feel weighing down on me. To make a claim like that is to put yourself on trial...EVERYDAY! That is not a, "Whoa is me," claim. Rather, it is a call to remain steadfast! 

We all face some type of judgement everyday of our lives. As a Christian, I believe that a judgement of my character is only magnified because of my faith. However, I don't consider this a bad thing. Whether a self-assessment or someone bringing something to my attention, I want my character to parallel that of Christ's. Do I mess up? Yes! Do I mess up a lot? Sometimes! So, with that out of the way, no one (even myself) can claim that I'm perfect. Hopefully, and with sincere humility, I can learn from my mistakes and not fall prey to my own devices. 

There is a great adage, that pertains to character, that I love! It goes something like, "Character is who you are and what you do when no one is watching." This adage takes on different paradigm when you're a Christian, as your believe that God is ALWAYS watching! Then it takes on a even deeper level of intimate knowledge when you believe that God is omniscient. He knows every thought we have, or could have had. He knows every word, spoken or unspoken. He knows every action, whether acted on or not. When you place the content of my character in the hands of a God like this, then you can't help but feel a little...no...A LOT exposed.

I can fake it for everyone person that reads this. My, "character," may seem to be impeccable, but in private your opinion of my character would do a 180.

So, what do we need to do to keep our character in check? Keep an eye out for part #2...

-James