Character Matters

“There never was a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous”

~ Benjamin Franklin

Your character is who you are. It is how you live your life, the values you keep and the strength of your integrity.

You may wear a mask when around others, but your character is who you are when no one is around.

As people get to know who you really are, your reputation begins to form. Your reputation, based on your character is the most valuable attribute in your life.

Proverbs 22:1 says; a good reputation and respect are worth much more than silver and gold.

Your character can be developed, it is not static. You can develop strong character as you grow personally while holding true to your values and moral positions.

How does this affect how we should vote on Election Day? Election days are exciting! There is an element of the unknown. Regardless of who you are voting for, there is a sense of freshness.

Each citizen has the chance to cast a vote towards the candidate they feel will better run the country. Most likely they will choose the person they feel is more like them.

They will vote for the person they feel will represent their priorities the best.

There are many ideologies at play in the political realm. In the end it comes down to what you believe the government should do and what you believe the individual should be responsible for.

This division is easy when we talk about roads, police and our military but gets very heated and debated when we talk about health care, welfare and taxation.

I personally don’t believe that any one issue should be a litmus test for electing an official. Life is more complex than any one social issue.

A person’s position and power rests on the foundation their character has laid. You can have an impressive title and plenty of power, but if your character is weak it will all come crashing down at some point.

The reality is that no candidate for any office will be exactly like you (unless you are running!). With this in mind, realize that each candidate will represent you well in some areas and frustrate you in others.

Don’t look for perfect; it won’t be found in a human, look for what ideas you share.

Your vote is your chance to express your opinion, since our freedom allows us to vote, take the opportunity given.

I would suggest choosing a person based on their character. Who are they really? You don’t elect a party or a platform, you elect a person.

Character is not the easiest to explain, it is evident in the actions of the individual. You can see their character as they interact with someone, as they make decisions and in the priorities they keep.

“Judge me not by physical size or appearance, but judge me by the size of my character.” – Cornelius Kilgore

Recall someone you know who has strong character. What do you admire about them the most?