True Character ~Living Proverbs 22:6

It has been said, "Character is the person you are when no one is looking." Character is who you really are....

One of the greatest blessings I'm able to be a part of, is teaching a part of the Wednesday Night Youth Bible Study at our church!

We are currently learning about character and I thought the Living Proverbs 22:6 posts on Thursday would be the perfect opportunity to share some key points that the Holy Spirit places on my heart!

Lesson One: True Character
Who you are when no one is looking....

I remember once when my first three children were small, we made a trip to walmart. It was a cold, snowy day and it was always a challenge to wrestle two toddlers and one baby in an infant car seat into the store. Lola was fussy so I rushed like a mad woman around the store gathering everything on my list as quickly as I could. At the check out we unloaded and headed out. As we hit the door a big gust of wind blew the cover off Lola's car seat and I remember how I struggled to push the cart through the slushy parking lot full of three kids and groceries...all while trying to keep the blanket tucked tight around the baby. When I finally reached the car I unloaded all the kids and one by one the bags from the cart. Everything was loaded and I grabbed the diaper bag which was the last thing in the bottom and I saw it. Now today, I really don't even remember what the item was...but it was something not paid for. It had gotten tucked behind things and was missed at the checkout.

My heart sank! I could have just sat down and cried! I absolutely did NOT want to unload all the kids, walk back in the store and pay for this one little item.

I literally stood and looked at it in my hand...

Who would know?

I was so tempted to just throw it in a bag and go home....but God grabbed my heart and I reloaded three children and trucked right back through the wind, snow and slush into the store (waited in line FOREVER) and paid for the item left behind.

Even though no one else was watching...God was.

In sharing this story with the kids I explained that we all have a choice. This was one time that I did make the right choice...but there have been many times in my life that I have not. Oh, the guilt I felt afterwards -even before I was a believer. We know what is right and wrong.

Our Study Time was spent in the book of Genesis 37. Everyone has heard the story of Joseph right? I couldn't tell you how many times I've read/studied these pages but every time you read God's word the Holy Spirit breaths fresh on it! His Word always moves and speaks....and Joseph's character speaks loudly!

Imagine how the story would have ended if his character would have been different? If he felt justified to seek revenge or allow bitterness and hate to eat at his heart...

As I study and prepare to teach, God continues to teach me as well. I'm learning the best way to teach my children is to live my faith out fully in front of them. The good, bad and the ugly! =) They see it anyway, so might was well teach them how to work through my/our issues in faith according to God's word.

If I'm going to teach my children about true character, I better live out true character...otherwise what's the point?

Here are some questions I've asked myself and God.
What is my character all about?
Am I living to please God no matter what?
Do I have the same character at church as I do at home?

Oh, Father! I praise you for always working on our character so we may become more like Jesus!

{May we be}...confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 {parenthesis mine}

*Curriculum referenced in this post is from Discipletown.