Character Builds Community – Character is Built in the Night

I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. David, King of Israel

“Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.” Stephen R Covey

The hidden person of the heart decides most actions. Among the mental health solutions most recommended for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and both process and substance addictions is a regimen named CBT.  CBT stands for Cognitive (Thinking) Behavior Therapy. Address your thoughts and your actions will follow.  Follow with your actions. You are what you think. You become that on which you mull and meditate.  Your actions come from the inner person, the heart, the soul, the mind, the will, and the emotions. Sometimes we reference this inner person as our character.

Character Guides Profit

The product of business is profit.  Profit is a good thing unless it is the only thing.  Why do I want to profit?  Have I built a moral character base to guide my gain? Two good friends come to mind.  Both are wealthy.  Both focus all gain/profit on expanding the kingdom. Yes, they live fulfilled lives, but not overspending lives.  The amounts they give to Christian community works and benevolence is outstanding as a percentage of profits. Another “Christian”, friend spends his profits on himself.  He travels extensively and posts all over Facebook of his travels and love for family.  His gain is his gain. He shares some of the wealth, but his focus that he shares is on himself first and on God when convenient. Which shows character?

The first two friends fulfill this proverb of David. David’s intent in writing was to provide guidance for his children. So these by example provide guidance for family, friends, business, and community.

First, they bless the Lord and people not just with words, but with action.   They recognize that God gave them wisdom and access to wealth.  In gratefulness, they give back and bless Him and His work.  They are fair and generous in the remuneration of staff. They focus on building people in the organization with the full realization that fulfilled people produce a greater and more sustainable profit.

Second, they are meditative men.  They take everything to heart.  They are persistent disciples of Christian wisdom principles and run their businesses with compassion and moral disciplines.  Their hearts (mind, will, and emotions) are guided even when they sleep and especially in tough times (night seasons).  They do not become a different person under pressure because their heart is secured, built, adjusted, and acclimated through contemplation and prayer.

Character Guides People

The product of a community organization is people.  Whether you are the Salvation Army or a church or the local women’s shelter, you are focused on people.  You need finances, but that is not your product.  The same questions apply.  Why do I want to touch people? Have I built a character base to guide community gain?  A conversation with the mayor of a community we reached revealed his heart. We spent hours discussing how to develop the hearts of the people in the community alongside all the economic growth and infrastructure changes.  Discussions with other community leaders take the same direction, but not all.  Some want to tear down old houses to “clean out the rats” or “take away places for crime”.  Others want to tear down old houses to deliver kinder, gentler neighborhoods and encourage growth.   There is a difference in heart.

Character Comes in the Night

“Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Abraham Lincoln

Struggles reveal the deep meditations of the heart. The tree of our character casts a broad shadow under a scorching sun. Profits will be challenged.  Our people touch will be challenged.  At those moments, we go back to character built in other moments to make our decisions.

Character is built by quieting our fears with faith and facts. False Evidence Apears Real under pressure. Fear like pain gives focus to a threat. Faith and facts enable us to discern, diagnose, and dismantle fear.

Character is built by quickening our positive approach in the face of risk. A positive proposition does not deny reality but believes a present reality of challenge can be overcome to prosper.

Character is built by quickness to turn to God when nothing seems solid. When we practice regular meditation and prayer, we place ourselves close to answers in hard moments. Access to divine direction lies in our daily path in good and challenging moments because we make it a regular regimen.

Dr. Daniel Amen speaking at commencement at Vanguard University 40 years after his own graduation listed three items, he would tell his 23-year-old self. Top of the list is ” Pray more about your path, relationships, and best ways to make a difference.” Dr. Amen has helped reinvent the world of psychology and neuroscience, built an amazing healthcare business, and reminds us prayer is a core item. Character is built by quietly meditating on wisdom writings and principles when all is well and our thoughts are clear.

Character is built in the inner man to be exposed by the outer man of actions. A few years ago, my wife and I had major decisions to make concerning our future contributions to profit and people.  For days, we locked ourselves in prayer.  Intense hours were spent reading scriptures and prayerfully considering our future lives.  Each option in front of us had risks and gains. Each chunk of progress over the years was reviewed. Today as I look back, the choice was made from a life of handling risks and gains in God’s grace, faith, and facts not just the few days of prayer.  Our impact is many fold what it had been.  Our finances are not where they were, but our people and community impact is exploded. While we had done well in the business community and general community of families, now we are impacting thousands of struggling families to generations of greatness.

Deep character is built in the night.

Action: Building better business and community means action. Have a list of values or character traits that guide you. Schedule time to assess how you live them out in each of your roles in business, family,  friendships, and community. Make a minor change based on your considerations. Don’t try to adjust the entire growth of your structure in a moment lest you break apart a critical limb. Work on the roots and the leaves will change and the shadow cast will influence more.

Summary: The deep content of character serves as the core of the inner person from which all decisions and actions flow. It is intentionally developed. Choose the values that guide you. They will hold you true to course in difficult times. A community of business, organization, family, or neighborhood built on individuals of moral character will last through the night and give the shadows of rest during the day.

Pastor Phil, thethinkdirector

SOLUM – Fixing Fractured Families – Life Long Dads. Kids Need ‘Em.