Today's Devotional

 

September 3, 2008

                                                                                                                        

Subject:  In The End, It's Character 

Romans 5:2b-4 "And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope" 

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Last night at the Republican National Convention, former Senator Fred Thompson told a quite moving story of the imprisonment of John McCain by the Vietnamese during the Vietnam war.  I particularly noted how the audience seemed to listen in awe.  That was contrasted with a speech being given last week at the Democratic National Convention where I pointed out to my wife, all of the tears as the speaker talked about change and hope.  Maybe it's just me because after all I am military and less "sensitive" as some would say, but I believe that character doesn't come from dreaming, it comes from experience.

I've heard many say that being a prisoner of war doesn't qualify you to be President and I totally agree with that, but it's how you handled your POW status that can reveal much about whether you have what it takes handle such a lofty position.  

In the end, everything that we do in life tells so much about our character and how we answer the challenges of life.  That's why they put us under extreme conditions at Officer's Candidate School and Marine Corps boot camp, to find out what we will do in the "crucible" of life.  Job answered that call.  Abraham answered that call and my favorite biblical character on the issue of character, Joseph answered that call.

Today, don't just dream, live.  In life you will seek and find challenges or they will find you and that's not the end; simply the fact that you are being challenged.  The end is to be victorious through the challenges of life.  That will reveal your character.     

Carlen