It’s something that I myself, along with many brothers and sisters, have often overlooked. It’s not as flashy, not as instantly noticeable, and not as prestigious as skill sets, gifts, and abilities. However, it’s a common theme and factor in the lives of biblically successful men and women from Genesis to today. That “theme” or “factor” is good character. The character of an individual in terms of heart, motives, and intentions. I strongly believe that God cares a lot more about our character than our gifts that he’s given us. When our character is right, our actions follow suit and produce fruit that is far more valuable and sustainable than the skills and abilities we used to obtain it. Scripture that I’ve read and people that I’ve met on this journey confirm this sentiment.
~ God cares a lot more about our character than our gifts ~
Two young women from Slavic countries encountered God in very practical, yet unique ways that eventually led them to India. They both started following Jesus at early points in their lives and met at a ministry school in Africa. After many hours of prayer, learning about God’s word, and growing in relationship with Jesus, God led them to a red-light district in one of India’s biggest cities. It’s one of the hardest regions of the world to share faith in Christ. The streets in this district lead into multiple alleyways that host prostitutes who are scraping a living for their families and inviting men to “worship” their gods through intimate interaction. Many of these prostitutes are married or widowed and have no other choice. From the onset of their arrival, the two young Slavic women would pray and worship in the mornings and then go from alley to alley and door to door talking with these women who were giving their bodies up for income. For the first year, most of the women they talked to weren’t interested in holding a conversation, much less trusting them and this man they proclaimed named Jesus. Once the second year came around, a couple of women began to be more open to them and invited them inside their homes. This led to many valuable friendships and some of the prostitutes began to give their lives to the Lord. Once the third year came around, the Slavic ladies were able to hand out translated bibles and rent out a small room in the area and conduct bible studies and worship meetings for their new sisters in Christ. In May of this year, still their third year doing red light district ministry, that room became full of women and children for the first time since it was initially rented out. There were over 30 people in that place, some standing outside the door because of lack of room, who were worshiping Jesus and reading the Bible together. I had the honor of witnessing that moment first hand. May was my month in India and these ladies were my ministry hosts for that time. Every other day for two weeks, I prayed and worshiped with them in the mornings, talked with prostitutes and local men about Jesus in the afternoons, and handed out translated bibles to new believers. It was extremely encouraging and eye-opening. Some of these men and women I talked to had never heard about Jesus before. The fruit of countless days and nights of prayer and sharing faith from these Slavic women have resulted in a new local body that is being built up in the love of the Father and the truth about Jesus Christ. Their love for Jesus shined and their character was evident through their ministry and interactions with us. They don’t have flashy gifts or personalities that presumably would win the lost and impact these prostitutes and children. They have a connection with God and his spirit that influenced their faithfulness in a daunting task which produced the fruit of a local church who loves Jesus.
~ They don’t have flashy gifts or personalities that presumably would win the lost and impact these prostitutes and children. They have a connection with God and his spirit that influenced their faithfulness in a daunting task which produced the fruit of a local church who loves Jesus. ~
The Bible eludes to the importance of this in multiple passages. In 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, Paul mentions the reason for the gifts (abilities, skills, talents, etc.) that God gives people:
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the spirit for the common good.” (ESV)
It’s for the common good. The common good of the body of Christ, the believers and the soon to be believers. That should be the motive behind the use of our gifts, regardless of how flashy or lackluster they appear. Paul later in this chapter explains that we are all different members of the same body and we all need each other. We need the support, service, and, most importantly, love from each other and for the world. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 mentions the importance of love and other characteristics that accompany it over gifts:
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.” (ESV)
Love never ends. Those gifts will. In other words, who you are is eternal, what you do is temporary. Galatians 5:22-23 hits on Godly character further, “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is not law” (ESV). How do we use our gifts and live our lives with Godly Love and the other characteristics that follow? Do some people just naturally poses these characteristics? Do others have to go to characteristics classes or start doing things that would associate with these characteristics? The verse above actually reveals the answer. Godly character, as verse 22 eludes, is “the fruit of the spirit”. It’s something that grows inside our hearts as we connect with God. That means the Holy Spirit living in us and the Word of God transforming our hearts and minds. This can only take place as a result of being close to him and his word. God’s word is called the sword of the spirit and the Holy Spirit will grow the character we are called to walk with as we abide in his word (Ephesians 6:17; John 8:31-32). While this is the case, continually seeking God’s presence will also yield a change in our spirits and character (Psalm 105:4). That’s what the two Slavic Women I worked with in India did and still do. They had a connection with God through his word and his presence that yielded and continued growing the character necessary to carry out his purposes in the earth.
~ Who you are is eternal, what you do is temporary. ~
It’s extremely important to note that connection with God and his spirit can only occur as a result of trusting in Jesus as the way, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. Nobody comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). We must first come to God through Jesus and then stay connected to him to continue bearing the fruit of his character. Only then will we be truly effective for his will to be done in our lives and utilize the gifts that he’s given us properly.
Characters in the Bible like King David, who was said to be a man after God’s own heart, and John, who considered himself the one whom Jesus Loved,echo the sentiment that character is what God cares about and connection with God is how that character comes to be. David was the youngest of 8 brothers and the least qualified person to become the next King of Israel compared to them based on natural qualities and abilities. However, God chose him to lead his people because David trusted and was faithful to the Lord. That trust and faithfulness was a result of many instances where David chose to trust God’s word and God showed his faithfulness. David was connected with God, knew his word and his presence, and was able to effectively serve as a King because of it. John was the youngest disciple that Jesus had, but he was the closest to him. He constantly sat near Jesus at the dinner table and took to heart what Jesus taught him. That nearness influenced John to write many books in the Bible that accurately and impactfully portray the love and power of Jesus as the one true God.
~ We must first come to God through Jesus and then stay connected to him to continue bearing the fruit of his character. ~
I want to encourage you today: trust Jesus as the foundation of your life, continue to connect with God through his word and his presence, and let the character of God become your character as a result of that connection.
Peace and Love!
