There has been a sort of understanding across the world that character is just for your personal life. It’s got nothing to do with ministry, business or politics. But that’s absolute rubbish.
A lot of the crisis in business today is a crisis of credibility due to a crisis of character. Students are cheating in tests, people lie at work, cheat on their taxes, steal office supplies and they get upset their corporation tells lies to them! The same politician who lies to his wife will lie to the country.
We need to realize that having character is essential in every single area of life. And it’s not just for other people – you have to work on your character.
I want to have good character and I believe that you want to as well, and I want you to know that you can have good character and still win in ministry, business and life. It really breaks my heart to see ministers take short cuts, verbally abuse other ministries to get ahead, play games to get ahead, copy other churches rather than seek the Lord, cosy up to larger ministries to gain advantages. It’s tragic.
Just live for God, live with character and integrity and do what is right. You cannot be long term rich and successful without character. You cannot grow a church without character. You can go from church to church, spout your sermon, but you cannot have lasting fruit without character and integrity, without walking with the Lord.
You can fool people for a season, but in the long term, a lack of character will catch up to you. In the short term doing the right thing can look like a loss, but eventually it will not.
Proverbs 4 in the Passion Translation:
16For troublemakers are restless if they are not involved in evil.
They are not satisfied until they have brought someone harm.
17They feed on darkness and drink
until they’re drunk on the wine of wickedness.
18But the lovers of God walk on the highway of light,
and their way shines brighter and brighter
until the perfect day.
19But the wicked walk in thick darkness,
like those who travel in fog,
and yet don’t have a clue why they keep stumbling!
Inspiring and Challenging Dreamers 