Some day, in years to come, you will be wrestling with the great temptation, or trembling under the great sorrow of your life. But the real struggle is here, now, in these quiet weeks. Now it is being decided whether, in the day of your supreme sorrow or temptation, you shall miserably fail or gloriously conquer. Character cannot be made except by a steady, long continued process.- Phillips Brooks
The primary school my two youngest children attend, has six pillars of building good character. They are:
1. trustworthiness
2. respect
3. responsibility
4. caring
5. fairness
6. citizenship
Students are frequently reminded to be aware of their character with the phrase, "Character Counts." As my children grow and learn, their character is being established. The character we build does count. I pray my children establish a character that gloriously conquers.
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The six pillars of building good character are not only excellent ones for your children to be aware of and build upon - but the pillars are most fitting for any age to be aware of and live by. Amen to the words, "Character Counts", and the "character" of your post.
ReplyDeleteJana:
ReplyDeleteI am thinking as I read your comments of the old story of Job. Several times, in the first few chapters of Job, the comment is made, “his integrity,” integrity, truthfulness, honesty, reliability and honesty. These are the things that kept Job through the time of his great trial. I do not think that Job built his integrity in one day or by crossing one rough spot. It took time and many rough spots and hard times along with his desire to be worthy of God he had only heard of. In almost the last chapter of Job we hear these words, I heard with the ear but now I see, close quote.
Far too many people want to be something regal without the pain and trial that will cultivate, build or establish the regal standing within a life. There is more to life than the next five minutes.
Mervi
Karen - I pray God guides me in the right ways of parenting. It is such a huge responsibility and one I do not want to fail. My kids are "characters." LOL Now if they will build good character, I will be thankful.
ReplyDeleteMervi - I really appreciate your comment. Job is an excellent portrayal of good character. In the story, some of his friends and even wife lacked in character. Character building is a lifetime work in progress.
Hi Jana, What a great post. It seems we forget all too often that personality attracts but character sustains.
ReplyDeleteHelen - I love your last line, "...personality attracts but character sustains." So very true! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteCharacter does count! Thanks for the reminder. How we look is important but how we act and respond to lifes circumstances is just as important.
ReplyDeleteThose are six pillars for all. Character is how we act when nobody is looking. Character really does count!
ReplyDeleteI can tell that your previous post led to the "character" thought! I pray daily for myself, my husband and my girls that we would be "trustworthy!" When I use that word in my prayer, I always break it up and remind myself and the Lord that I mean "Worthy of Trust." Then all of the six pillars fall into place....respect comes when you are "worthy of trust", you are automatically responisble or you could not have been trusted, you must be caring or someone would not have found you trustworthy, fairness and citizenship fall into place to. Thank you so much for your reminder! It seems to be a time of really considering our inner self. I pray that I find myself balanced with my character counting!
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteGreat six pillars. We all need to be reminded of these.
ReplyDeleteRochelle - thanks for your comment. You are right. Our character is building when no eyes are on us.
ReplyDeleteSusan - whenever I read a quote I like, I save it in my drafts. I have had that quote for awhile, but after my "From the heart..." post, I pulled that quote out of my drafts. It was there for the right time. I liked the way you phrased trustworthy - "worthy of trust."
Catherine - thanks.
Ronda - Amen.
Amen! I feel the same in wanting to have that character built into my children also. Great post.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great list! Sounds like definitely one to live by. I'd love to hear your lessons on it!
ReplyDeleteThat's fantastic that the school implements character building. My professor had a quote on his door by Ralph Waldo Emerson that read: "Watch your thoughts. They become words. Watch your words. They become deeds. Watch your deeds. They become habits. Watch your habits. They become character. Character is everything."
ReplyDeleteCarol & Janell - thanks for dropping by. You two are awesome characters. :)
ReplyDeleteCon de Leigh - I love the Emerson quote. Thanks for sharing.