“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.” (Proverbs 11:3, ESV)
I recently came across a small notebook in a drawer with Bible study and sermon notes from several years ago. Some are dated and include the speaker’s name while others do not show either. Reading through the notebook, I found a statement from the Bible study that caused me to stop and reflect. It said, “Our sermon is not in a [church] building. Our sermon is lived out each day in our lives—without words.” I wish I had written down the speaker’s name so I could give credit for this nugget of truth.
In other words, our greatest witness does not come from the words we speak but from the life we live before others. They observe our behaviors, attitudes, and values and judge us accordingly. The choices we make in life reveal our true character to others.
At one time, a man’s word and a handshake were all that was needed to complete a business deal. If someone had the reputation of being a person of integrity and character—someone honest, reliable, and trustworthy—his word was enough. I doubt that many transactions are made so informally today. Now, to protect ourselves from questionable business practices and false promises, we depend on written contracts with lots of legal wording. A handshake just isn’t enough.
What do we mean when we speak of someone “having character”? According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a person of character is someone of “moral excellence and firmness.” These qualities go beyond intelligence or abilities. Nor can money buy good character. It’s our moral compass.
If we are to be “witnesses without words,” our character counts. Others will notice if we claim to be a Christian but our actions are not Christ-like.
- If our testimony on Sunday does not match our actions on Monday, then we are sending the wrong message to a lost world.
- If we show a lack integrity in the workplace, our co-workers will have little interest in accepting an invitation to our church.
- If we are demanding and rude to the restaurant server, they won’t be interested in any gospel tract we leave on the table.
- If we sing with enthusiasm during Sunday morning worship but rant and rave at home all week, we shouldn’t be surprised if our children don’t respect us or the church.
Paul writes in Colossians 4:5-6 that we are to “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (ESV).
Titus 2:7-8 tells us to, “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us” (ESV).
Yes, character counts wherever we may be. It displays itself as honesty, integrity, responsibility, empathy, respect, trustworthiness, accountability, compassion, and so much more. That’s the kind of followers the Lord desires us to be. It’s also the kind of witness that the world longs for.
Be a witness to your world. Let your character shine through.
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