A Person of Character

Ah yes, Character.   Following on from yesterdays discussion.

Character:  Sometimes called  “Who You Are”, as opposed to “What You Do”.

I've heard it called the  “BE”  (as in setting “BE” goals, before you can set the “HAVE” goals.

Another definition might be: “Who You Are Becoming”.

A better person hopefully. More enlightened. Elevated. Clearer thinking.

Character is the vessel which houses the precious liquid.

Nobody sees the precious liquid – they are put off by the vessel. Or attracted by the vessel. Works both ways. As the vessel gets cleaner, more pure, more beautiful, people will be more ready to accept the stuff on the inside.

BE + DO = HAVE

Focusing on the  HAVE’s  (what I want),  is only a third of the battle.

Focusing on the  DO’s  (activity),  is also incomplete, I’d just exhaust myself running around in circles like a headless chicken.

Focusing on the  BE’s  alone, is just as fruitless, sometimes called navel gazing or being too introspective, or too ‘head-up-in-the-clouds’.

Character to me, is what obscures the diamond inside. We all have a diamond inside of us, but it is obscured by black filth: gossip, bad thoughts, criticism, manipulating,  putting people down etc etc, all the bad stuff.

My life-long quest is to reduce this stuff that surrounds my diamond, so that my true gifting can be seen, pure and beautiful and unadulterated.

Who and What I am becoming, can be summarised in some words from the Bible: “….love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…”

Perhaps I could add other qualities I aspire to: living in the Truth, acceptance of others, being non-judgmental, having an open mind, being teachable, patient.

Yea, I could live with someone with all these characteristics!

A man of Character.