Why is Character so important?
Many questions come to mind when referring to
character, especially as children learn to adapt to the rapid changes around
them. Some questions that come to mind are:
·
What is character?
·
Why is character so important?
·
What can I do to improve my character?
·
How does my character reflect who I
am?
Character is defined as an individual’s distinctive
qualities in mental and moral aspects. So how does one gain quality in
character?
Well… a few of the keys to keeping your character in
check are to:
1. Be
careful who you associate with.
2. Strengthen
your relationship with God.
3. Honor
and obey your parents and/or mentor.
4. Have
perseverance and diligence
5. Have
patience
6. Be
honest
1. Be
Careful Who You Associate With:
My mom has always been very wise as she has taught
me many things during the last seventeen years and as I was growing up she used
to say, “You become what you hang around.” and this statement couldn't be more
truthful. Be very cautious and make wise decisions about whom you associate
with and understand that whatever you hang around you become.
For example, my brother has always had a niche for
proper management, so my mom had given him really significant advice at the age
of sixteen when he worked as a cashier in a grocery department. She said, “You
are what you hang around, so hang out with manager’s, ask them questions to see
what for knowledge that you can acquire that you didn’t obtain before.” So he
applied her advice to his life, he associated himself with managers and
district managers of the company hoping to acquire all the knowledge that he
desired and by the age of eighteen he was the manager of his own store and it’s
due to the simple fact that what he hung around he became.
So there is a very important lesson in this and the
same applies to anything that you do. If you associate yourself with a
successful entrepreneur chances are you are going to be a successful
entrepreneur in the years to come. Another attribute to this is to realize your
self-worth don’t subject yourself to the wrong crowd, because you are worth
more than you realize and your character may pay the price for the need to fit
in.
2. Strengthen
Your Relationship With God:
You might not see God’s plan for you this very
moment, but His power is so great that he has more than you realize in store
for you. This is where strengthening your relationship with God would come into
play. Keep God your number one priority because He is the Alpha and the Omega,
the beginning and the end. As you strengthen your relationship in God, you as
well as others will see that your character has blossomed in the positive
direction. For example, during the period of time that my brother was gathering
knowledge he would come home and talk to my mom about it as she then led him to
seek God through prayer, to help him find the success that he strived for.
3. Honor
And Obey:
Honor and obey your superiors, whether it is your
parents or a mentor make sure that you listen carefully to their teachings,
because they know exactly what you need to succeed. Choose to respect them not
just because you need something from them, but because it’s the right thing to
do and God will honor you for honoring them. For example, if my older brother
wouldn’t have listened to my mom and had been attentive towards the advice that
the managers were providing him with he would not be nearly as successful as he
is today.
4. Diligence
and Perseverance:
Diligence is defined as the careful act of
completing a task or being meticulous. Perseverance is defined as the
determination to complete the task at hand. When combined the two components
create an outstanding industrious that with God’s assistance will be
irrevocably prosperous. For example, if my brother hadn’t combine the two
components to put forth his efforts than he would have just remained the
ordinary grocery store cashier. Not that being cashier is the incorrect
position, but he knew the calling that God had on his life and he chose to
pursue it.
5. Patience:
My mom has always said, “Good things come to those
who wait.” and she couldn’t be more accurate. Patience is a major factor when
striving towards success because not even Rome was built in a day. For example,
when my brother was building his experience for a position in management, he
built at least four years of experience in the trade before pursuing the his
current title. He worked and educated himself from the time that he was
fourteen until he was eighteen to assume his place in management. Do you want
to know how it all began? You wouldn’t believe it, but he started out at
fourteen years old scrubbing floors at a Consignment Shop! This goes to show
just how God can work in your life if you remain patient and allow God to work
within and throughout any situation that may come your way.
6. Honesty:
No matter what you do in life honesty is vitally
important. Not only is it a positive character trait, but it is also a one of
the components rightfully placed as the ninth commandment given to Moses directly
from God. Thou shall not lie. You may be wondering what significance this has
to character, but honesty is the key to a trustworthy foundation in any
relationship. Even if a lie were to seem miner and inconsequential to the one
providing it, if it were to be manifested it has the ability to fracture the
bond of trust, whether it is in a family function or an employment position.
For example, my brother has to be completely honest about everything in his
management or he could face possible suspension, demotion, or complete
termination. So remain truthful, be honest in everything you do, because even
though the person you lied to might not find out, God is watching you.
These are just a few possible character traits that
you can obtain to ensure that you are keeping your character in check, but the
list is endless. If you begin to evaluate and shift just a few of these
possible life changing characteristics, you as well as others will begin to see
changes in you that are in the positive direction. Just remember that your
character is something that you shouldn’t take lightly, because it affects who
you are as well as everything that you do. For example, if my brother didn’t
have the character he had when he was hired as a manager than he would have
never gotten the position. I believe whole-heartedly that it is because of his
character, my mom’s sound advice and wise guidance as well as God’s hand
working in his life that he is where he is today.
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