Fork_in_path_in_park © by DennisM2
Christian character is something we’ve got to have if we’re going to show Jesus Christ to the world in the way He’s commanded us to do. It’s made up of the 1000’s of decisions we make every single day to act God’s way. This doesn’t come naturally for us. How do we get there?
It starts with our marriage to the ultimate Bridegroom, Jesus. Through Baptism and the faith He gives us, our minds become His. The faith that’s fed as we daily consume His Word and regularly receive His Supper takes control of us so we BECOME people of Christian character. It’s a change the Holy Spirit creates in us from the inside out.
It’s comforting to know this is where we get Christian character. If it were up to me to just dig in and work hard at being good, I’d be worried sick. I know I could never get it right. I’d screw up even those 1000’s of little decisions each day. But, when I stay focused on the Bridegroom, Jesus, I know HE will BE in me to guide and change me.
And, you know what? I’ve seen it happen. Now that I’m nearly half a century old, I’ve seen that I’m making a lot better decisions than I did as a boy. I’m sure not perfect, but better than I was. My character’s being formed as I’m receiving Christ’s love and choosing to let that love guide me.
Living with Christian character isn’t a mathematical equation. It’s wrong to say you choose to have it and then just do it. It’s also wrong to say you’re baptized and then you’ll just do it. In both cases, you WON’T. Instead, Christian character is a state of being. It’s BEING married to Jesus, the great “I AM.” It’s rejoicing in being baptized into a marriage union with Him that brings us His perfect love every day. As we cherish every Word of love from His lips, they flow into us and through us and guide us to make decisions of love … 1000’s of them every day. That’s life in God’s way. That’s a life of Christian character. That’s a beautiful witness of Jesus Christ for all the world to see.