In schools across the country, large banners are displayed that read “Character Counts”. Other banners are hung side-by-side listing the Six Pillars of Character (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and good citizenship). These banners line hallways, gymnasiums, and large multipurpose spaces. CHARACTER COUNTS! is a national program that focuses on building students' character largely within a school setting. As an elementary school student, I remember seeing these banners all over my school campus.
Character is at the center of being Christian. We see it displayed across the scriptures. We see it in the fruits of the spirit.
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-25).
We see the importance of character displayed in Paul's letter to Colossians.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Colossians 3:12-14).
Let’s “...rediscover how Scripture keeps character and faith integrated rather than either obsessing over rules or separating spirituality from the rest of life. If faith is what is believed, then character is faith lived out in real time” (Bradbury, Griffin, Powell). What sparked this post was an email I received from Greg Yocjim, President of 1Mission. 1Mission is a community development organization that builds houses with the poor in Mexico. He shared, and you may already be aware, that the border crossing in Lukeville is closed. As a result, 500 trip participants had no choice but to cancel mission trips in January. Although disappointing for the participants, it is devastating news for the families in Mexico who have worked so hard in preparation for their new home. Greg ends his message by writing “Even though the migrant crisis is having a negative effect on our ability to fulfill our mission, it's also a stark reminder of why we do what we do…. [it] should lead to compassion, not fear or anger”. I was struck, in a good way, by his response to this situation. In his response, I see character as faith lived out in his statement that I am confident will become action. Amid a sad, messy, and complicated situation, I see the call for compassion to take precedence over the very human reaction of fear and anger.
