SUNDAY THOUGHT with Pastor Brian Horrobin:
The Irreplaceable Value of Character
The late UCLA men’s basketball coach, John Wooden, was not only a great coach but also a man of deep character. It was clearly evident in his life.
He once said about character, “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”
He expanded on this observation in an interview he gave in 2005. Here is what he said: “Some people change when they acquire power, authority, and material possessions. A person with character won’t change. Character is what you really are inside. Some people have great individual ability, whether it’s physical or mental. They may reach great financial success. But if they don’t have character, they won’t stay there very long. They’ll go down fast and you’ll find the road down is much faster than the road up.” Psalm 15 from The Message translation of the Bible spells out a clear, concise description of a life of character: “Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. Don’t hurt your friend, don’t blame your neighbour, despise the despicable. Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe. You’ll never get blacklisted if you live like this.”
If you are genuinely concerned about your character and how you present yourself to others, might I suggest two things? First and foremost, pray for the Lord to help you walk in upright character. We need His help if we are going to get this right. Secondly, find a close friend who isn’t afraid to tell it to you straight and won’t simply tell you what you want to hear.
Proverbs 27:6 says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
Go ahead and aim high because your character is worth it!
