Character Grows Like An Oak
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Floyd is continuing to have some "good" days. I'm so grateful, and don't take it for granted. I think it's an answer to prayer. He seems a bit more tired than usual, but he remains at peace. I pray for more good days and for the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
We have been treated recently to a special natural phenomenon. We’ve had thousands of lovely white butterflies swarming around. They are on their annual migration from the west coast of South Africa to Madagascar.
They are delicate looking, all white, smallish, fluttering creatures. I’ve been mesmerized by their loveliness. As I’ve watched them out my window, I couldn’t help but think of the angels all around us that we can’t see. I’ve never seen one, although I know many people have.
However the Word tells us they are there – watching over us, caring for us, protecting us. I have “sensed” them at times. I have thanked the Lord for them without seeing them. I know I need their watch-care, so I depend on them. Just recently our security alarm system has been acting up. When I go to bed at night, I ask God to give extra angels to watch over me.
There have been times when I’ve known I’ve been protected from something even though I didn’t fully understand the details. There have also been “close calls” when I knew angels were protecting me.
I’ve often prayed for angels to keep Floyd company. He spends a lot of time alone. I’ve asked God to give angels to be with him – and to let him see those angels. There have been times with Floyd when he looks over my head or behind me, sometimes he smiles. I can’t help but wonder if he’s seeing those angels.
The thing that has settled in my heart as I’ve been thinking about all this because of seeing the “swarms” of butterflies – is that I’m first of all so grateful for the angels that watch over us, and that I also need to ask God to keep those angels on duty. I need them! Floyd needs them! Our family needs them! You need them! We need to pray for 24/7 “swarms” of angels to be with us. And maybe we’ll even see one someday. :)
"He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways." Psalm 91:11
"I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared." Exodus 23:20
"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and He delivers them." Psalm 34:7
A friend asked me some questions recently about leadership. I was going through my files to look at some of my notes, and came across something that spoke to my heart. It's about Character vs Reputation. It was from some sermon notes from Floyd's father. I thought I would share it with you.
Character is the one thing we develop in this world and take with us into the next.
Character is what you really are; reputation is what people say you are supposed to be.
Character is the face; reputation is the photograph.
Character grows from within; reputation grows from without.
Reputation is what you have when you move to a new community. Character is what you have when you leave.
Character is built over a life-time. Reputation can be made in a moment.
Character grows like an oak; reputation grows like a mushroom.
A single news report can give you a reputation. A life of diligence gives you character.
Reputation is what men will say about you on your tombstone. Character is what the angels will say about you before the throne of God.
My father-in-law was a wonderful man of character. I was privileged to learn from him and glean from his walk with the Lord. This list reads like a summary of his life. I've been reflecting on it for a few days.
The thought that keeps coming to me is that character is developed primarily in the hard seasons of life, the trials. To some degree it might be developed in the "smooth" seasons - but primarily the growth comes when things are tough and we have to wrestle with our choices and responses to the hard things.
I don't like trails! I'm not a masochist. I've sometimes complained to the Lord about the trials I've walked through. A number of years ago our daughter was very ill for 6 1/2 years. We were caring for her 24/7. It was a hard season. In the midst of that, there was another big trial that came our way. I can remember standing in our cabin where we lived in Colorado and saying to Floyd "this isn't fair! Doesn't God understand how hard it is already? Why is He giving us more?"
Floyd was also struggling with the heavy load, but I remember Him looking at me and saying "this is where we have to keep our eyes on the Lord and trust Him. He'll give us the grace and strength to make it through." And He was right! It was sooooo hard, but God helped us. We learned so much, we grew in our walk with Him, we survived!!! - and there came a day when our daughter was healed.
I look back to that season and can see so many things that God taught us. Things that became part of our character!! As I’ve reflected back over a number of hard times, trials in my/our life, I can see in each one how God was shaping and forming my character. In fact - without those times of shaping and building into my life......I'm not sure I could survive what I'm walking through now. The character building in each trial I've walked through has become part of who I am today. I read a quote in a book that emphasizes this. "The choices we make in the place of trial today are greatly the fruit of choices we have made in our yesterdays." SO, SO true!
I don't know what's ahead, but I do know that I want my choices on this unexpected journey to be ones that will impact my character.
"We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame." Romans 5:3-5
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4
"May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you." Psalm 25:21
We live in an "instant" world where people want things to happen right now! But walking in God's ways, allowing Him to develop character in our lives takes time - lots of time. And it may not be easy. But it is so worth it!