by Michaela Langstone

Created on: January 29, 2010   Last Updated: February 05, 2010

During the last exam at my high school, every candidate received a card on their desks which said, ‘We need to be greater than what we find easy’.  For me, that simple statement encapsulates what character means, especially as a maturing Christian.  Throughout my lifelong walk with Christ, I have discovered that the call of God is always upward.  St Paul described it as “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). God is always calling His people out of Egypt, into the Promised Land, to walk on water and on to higher ground.

Character versus Riches

While worldly conditioning often dictates you have ‘arrived’ when you are materially rich, God’s Word honors qualities such as good character first, then “all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).  Jesus Himself said, “Take heed of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15)  Good character therefore starts as a seed in your spirit.  In Proverbs 22:1, Solomon observed that “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches”.  Unless you strive to obtain good character and discipline yourself, you will not be able to enjoy the riches that God gives you.  You must develop a grateful attitude and seek God from a pure heart.

How Good Christ-like Character is Developed

Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”  Character is best developed from an early age.  Besides this, for a person to develop good character he or she must first of all invite Jesus Christ into their life, asking their heavenly Father for the Holy Spirit and His guidance.  The leading of the Holy Spirit is often gentle and speaks to us as a still small voice.  Prayerfully reading God’s Word daily also helps.  By the Holy Spirit’s grace and leading, a person is convicted of their sin, has the opportunity to repent of whatever they are doing wrong (that is, change their ways and attitude), receiving wisdom and the mind of Christ.  This process builds the character of Christ in every believer.  While on earth, Jesus Christ lived a sinless and blameless life in the sight of God, then deliberately took our sins upon Himself in order to set us free from the bondage sin (or lawlessness) would otherwise have on us.  After

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