Sep. 12, 2007 - Godly Character Building
Godly Character Building
While discussing outer beauty versus inner beauty, I asked my daughters who they should admire and try to be like. My eldest daughter had caught on to the lesson and quickly replied, “We should be like you, Mom.” I had to smile, but it certainly brought to mind the reality of who they will become like. They will grow up to be just like me, whether that is good or bad.
There are many resources out there to foster godly character building, but God gave us one of the most effective resources of all, our parents. Why am I such a hard worker? The answer is because my parents modeled this behavior as I was growing up. And now, I model it for my children. However, that can be a double-edged sword. If I have learned poor character traits, I am in danger of passing those to my children, as well. To be Godly parents, we must constantly be working on ourselves, growing and changing.
Here is a partial list of Godly character traits that we all should be striving for:
Attentiveness, Charity, Cheerfulness, Compassion, Contentment, Courage, Dependability, Determination, Devotion, Diligence, Discernment, Discretion, Enthusiasm, Faith, Faithfulness, Forbearance, Forgiveness, Generosity, Gentleness, Godliness, Goodness, Gratefulness, Helpfulness, Honesty, Hope, Humility, Integrity, Joy, Kindness, Longsuffering, Meekness, Mercy, Modesty, Obedience, Orderliness, Patience, Peace, Peacemaking, Perseverance, Purity, Respectfulness, Responsibility, Sincerity, Steadfastness, Temperance, Thoughtfulness, Trustworthiness, Truthfulness, and Willingness.
After having said that, we should all recognize that we have much to work on to be the best we can be for our children.
How then, should we tackle a problem area in ourselves? The steps are simple, though they may require frequent repetition and much work on your part.
- Pray.
- Read the Bible (a good concordance helps a lot here)
- Listen for God’s prompting.
- Follow through with how he is leading you.
- Repeat frequently.
For any real change to come about, you must truly practice, practice, practice. We will always make mistakes, but with practice we will begin to recognize them sooner and make corrections sooner. Eventually, you might hear someone remark that they see a change in you, but don’t count on it. Just keep it between you and the Lord.
If you would like some additional resources to help you develop Godly character traits in your children, here are some of my favorites:
Keepers of the Faith- “Write Upon My Heart” Character Training Booklets
These are available for several character traits, and feature appropriate scriptures, bible examples of the trait, practical lessons, instructions, stories, poems, practical applications, and a 30-day journal in a 68 page booklet.
Doorposts.net offers wonderful resources in the form of books and charts. I personally have used the If-Then Poster for effective discipline for several years now.
Pearables Character Materials- For example, Personal Help for Girls designed to be led by Mom and Personal Help for Boys designed to be led by Dad.
