New Reminders: Character
by Ardith Hoff
Character traits are defined as the individual qualities or attributes that make up a person's overall individuality. These descriptions can be physical, emotional, mental, or moral. Every person is made up of many different traits or qualities, and these can also change over the course of someone's life. Character traits are the building blocks of personality; they are a part of who we are and guide our actions in life. Some common words used as synonyms for ‘character’ include disposition (meaning one’s general mood or temperament), demeanor (meaning how someone behaves) attitude (how someone is disposed towards something), and integrity (the quality of being honest).
Augustine of Hippo (also known as Saint Augustine) was a theologian and philosopher. He wrote, “To discover the character of people we have only to observe what they love”. He was essentially saying the same thing as Matthew 6:21 where Jesus said: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Researcher and author Max Anders is quoted as saying, “Money is not the most important thing, but it’s way ahead of whatever is in second place.” It is true that money is at the top of the list of things many people seem to love, but some also love the things that tend to come with it, such as: power, influence, pleasure, fame, prestige or self-aggrandizement. What they often fail to realize is what Benjamin Franklin pointed out: “Many a man thinks he is buying pleasure when he’s really selling himself to it.”
A person with good values is committed to honesty, treating others fairly, doing what we say we will do, and taking responsibility for our own mistakes and failures. If we are of good character, we will have empathy for those less fortunate than ourselves, and act with love and compassion, all of which align with the Judeo/Christian values we all learned in Sunday school. Whether we live up to those values determines who we are and what we will love. As Christians, we are committed to doing God’s work on earth and to do that, we must “love God and our neighbors as ourselves” Matthew 22:37-39. That means we need to humbly seek God’s help to live according to His will and use whatever character traits we have as tools in the pursuit of living those values.
Our character defines us, and our actions and attitudes speak for us more accurately than our words. People watch what we do, not just what we say. May we all practice Christ-like love!