Character

Proverbs 24:3-4 (NLT)
3 A house is built by wisdom and becomes strong through good sense. 4 Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

We are always tempted by riches of the world thinking that wealth brings happiness to a home. Yet there are many who are rich and still painfully suffer the trials of everyday life. King Solomon recognized it is one who builds their family and home by honest means, with a good conscience, a good name, and a respect of God that will find their rooms filled with the precious riches of life. For each family member will possession a wealth of wisdom, a love of God, and a hope for eternal life.

Donald Miller relates in his book, To Own a Dragon, an interesting story goes like this: I lived for a time with my friend and mentor John MacMurray, where the first rule is to always tell the truth. John and I were sitting in the family room one night when he asked about my new cell phone. “I got it free,” I told him. “How did you get it for free?” he asked. “Well, my other one broke, so I took it in to see if they could replace it. They had this new computer system at the store and they didn’t have their records. They didn’t know whether mine was still under warranty. It wasn’t, I knew, because it was more than a year old. The guy asked me about it, and I told him I didn’t know, but it was right around a year. Just a white lie, you know. Anyway, the phone was so messed up they replaced it with a newer model. So, I got a free phone.” “Did you ever see that movie The Family Man with Nicolas Cage?” John asked. “There’s this scene where Nicolas Cage walks into a store to get a cup of coffee. And Don Cheadle plays the guy working at the counter. There’s a girl in line before Nicolas Cage, and she’s buying something for ninety-nine cents, and she hands Cheadle a dollar. Cheadle takes nine dollars out of the till and counts it out, giving her way too much change. She sees that he is handing her way too much money, yet she picks it up and puts it in her pocket without saying a word. As she is walking out the door, Cheadle stops her to give her another chance. He asks her if there is anything else she needs. She shakes her head no and walks out.” “I see what you’re getting at, John,” I say. “Let me finish,” he says. “So Cheadle looks over at Nicolas Cage, and he says, ‘Did you see that? She was willing to sell her character for nine dollars. Nine dollars!’” After a little while, I spoke up. “Do you think that is what I am doing with the phone? Do you think I am selling my character?” And to be honest, I said this with a smirk. “I do,” John said. “The Bible talks about having a calloused heart. That’s when sin, after a period of time, has so deceived us we no longer care whether our thoughts and actions are right or wrong. Our hearts will go there easily, and often over what looks like little things—little white lies. All I am saying to you, as your friend, is, watch for this kind of thing.” Miller concludes the story saying: I went back to the store the next day. It cost me more than nine dollars, but I got my character back.

Do you have friends you will confront you in love for your own good? It’s important to have friends who know God’s heart. When confronted do you react smugly or humbly? We need to humble ourselves and listen to those who have our best interest at heart. Could it be that something came to mind as you read this story and there is something you need to do? Maybe now is the time to act in order to get your character back.