Stronger Character
by Gary Johnson
In my hand, I hold a prized possession. This happens to be a piece of coal from what is left of the R.M.S. Titanic. Lying some 12,500 feet deep in the North Atlantic Ocean, this piece of coal was from among thousands of items retrieved from the wreckage.
When I was in middle school, I remember writing my first term paper and it was about the Titanic. From that day on, I’ve been fascinated with the ship and with the tragedy that beset it. My bookcase holds several books about the Titanic, and I even had a recent opportunity to stand on the very spot where she was built in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
For seventy-three years, the whereabouts of the sunken ship remained a mystery until September 1, 1985, when Robert Ballard discovered them roughly 370 nautical miles southeast of Newfoundland. Ballard, an accomplished oceanographer, had been on a search for the Titanic for several years. Knowing of its approximate location at the time of its sinking, Ballard was on a quest to find this legendary ship and to respect this hallowed site as the burial place of over 1,500 men, women and children.
Since this discovery, Robert Ballard has continued searching ocean floors around the world to make more discoveries of sunken vessels. Currently 81-years -old, Ballard continues searching; his quest is never complete.
My Quest and Yours
Each time I look at this piece of coal on my desk, I remember that I am on a quest, and it is one that never ends. My quest – and yours – is to become increasingly like Jesus. Simply put, it is a quest for character.
Character matters, even though one would surmise that it doesn’t when we observe behavior in politics, business, higher education and even in the Church. Character matters to God, so it must matter to us.
While growing up, I was one of three boys who learned that a handshake between one man and another was the giving of one’s word. My dad taught us that this phenomenon was like the signing of a contract. As a boy, it was ingrained in me that character matters, and from that day on, I began a quest in search of character.
When my sons were growing up, they probably became weary of hearing me quote an often-heard verse: “Do not be misled, bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Cor 15:33). Like father – like sons – I wanted Jared and Aaron to begin a quest of their own, and that is to pursue godly character. After all, character matters.
In his autumn years, Robert Ballard continues his quest for undersea discoveries. Similarly, we must be on a lifelong quest in pursuit of Christlike character. To help us do so, let’s pose three simple questions: why, how and what.
WHY this lifelong quest for character?
God has predestined us “to be conformed to the likeness of His son” (Rom 8:29), and Jesus is the perfect example of character. When we are filled with the Spirit (Eph 5:18), He produces His fruit in us of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22-23), and those traits exemplify Jesus. It is then that people can readily see Jesus in us, having been conformed to His likeness. In our living room, Leah and I have wedding photos of our parents, ourselves and of our two sons and daughters-in-law. Looking at these pictures, people have commented on the striking resemblance between my dad, myself, and my son, Aaron. I only hope that they can see the same resemblance of Jesus in me.
HOW to pursue character?
Finding the Titanic was costly, as were each of Ballard’s other undersea discoveries. In the same way, pursuing character will cost us. We must have skin in the game. Even though Jesus could have instantly healed the man born blind, Jesus required him to make an effort to receive his sight by washing in the pool of Siloam (John 9:1-7). As well, Jesus could have healed the ten lepers, but again, He required them to make an effort by going to show themselves to the priest, and “as they went, they were healed” (Luke 17:14). The same is true for us. We have to make an effort to receive the blessing of character.
Paul wrote that we “rejoice in our sufferings because suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character and character produces hope. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given to us” (Rom 5:3-5). Through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit (i.e., God in us), we persevere from moment-to-moment and day-to-day. Such perseverance, particularly in tough times, produces Christlike character in us. Ballard had all the necessary resources to be on a quest for the Titanic. And in the same way, feeding daily from the Word of God, speaking daily with Jesus in prayer, and walking daily in the Spirit’s power, provides us with the necessary resources to continue our quest for character.
WHAT is so important about this character?
It’s called legacy. Nowhere in Scripture are we called to be successful, only faithful: “… Be faithful to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev 2:10). What kind of legacy will you and I leave those whom we love? Will we finish strong – with strong, Christlike character?
Throughout Scripture we read of those who finished well and of those who did not. From death row, Paul wrote, “I have fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7). Will we? Like Paul, we must keep our eyes on the finish line and leave a legacy that shouts the character of Christ.
Stronger character is a worthwhile quest.
