06.06.10 - Character Counts

On Wednesday night I flew into Invercargill. We were coming down to land when up we went again and turned around and flew back to Christchurch. There was thick fog at the airport. In Christchurch, Air New Zealand put us up in a very nice hotel for the night.

In the morning I showered and used some of the little bottle of shampoo and opened a cake of soap and then popped what was left in my toilet bag. Then I thought about the pen on the bedside table. I am always losing pens so I like gathering them up as well. But then my conscience kicked in. It was only a plastic pen –nothing special. Obviously you can’t just take what you like from a hotel. You can’t start taking the towels and the bed linen. So what is legit and what isn’t, I wondered.

I reasoned that the shampoo and soap had been opened. They weren’t going to be given to the next guest. They would possibly only be thrown out. But the pen wasn’t mine to just take away, so I left it there.

I have no doubt that some people take what they like from hotel rooms and some people probably do take the towels and the bed linen. But for me to have taken that pen would have been wrong.

That was a tiny thing but I was thinking about the topic for this sermon and realised that my character was being tested - by a plastic pen.

Character is who you are. What sort of person you are. Someone has said, “A man's reputation is what other people think of him; his character is what he really is.” Your reputation is what people think of you. But do they really know you? Do they really know what is in your heart and what is on your mind?

Thomas Babington Macaulay said, “The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he never would be found out.” If no one would ever know, what would you do? That’s your character.

Of course, while we might keep some things hidden, most of our character is very visible. Everything we do is a demonstration of our character. Even if we pretend and people see only the good version of us, pretending says a lot about our character.

Joseph (the Old Testament one) was sold into slavery in Egypt and lived in the house of Potiphar, the captain of the guard. Several times we are told that the Lord was with Joseph and he succeeded in all that he did. Consequently, Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his whole household. Potiphar didn’t concern himself with anything because he trusted Joseph. Potiphar must have seen more than Joseph’s success. He must also have seen Joseph’s loyalty and his honesty. His success was outwardly visible but that is not enough to trust someone with all of your possessions. He must have also seen those inner qualities. With Joseph in charge, Potiphar prospered. Joseph wasn’t looking after his own interests. He was looking after his master’s interests. That is character.

And then Joseph’s character was tested. Potiphar had given Joseph control over everything – except his wife. But Potiphar’s wife began seducing Joseph. He refused to do what she wanted until, one day, she grabbed his cloak and pleaded with him to go to bed with her. Joseph ran away, leaving his cloak in her hands. He maintained his integrity despite the opportunity and the constant appeals but Potiphar’s wife accused him of having tried to rape her and Joseph was thrown into prison.

Sometimes, doing the right thing results in trouble. Very often it is easier doing the wrong thing. Very often there is more to be gained (in the short-term at least) by cutting corners or compromising a little. Joseph’s integrity meant being falsely accused and spending several years in prison. He could have chosen to sleep with Potiphar’s wife – but he couldn’t! He said to her, “My master has trusted me. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” (Gen 39:9) He could have but his integrity wouldn’t let him. He would rather go to prison, falsely accused.

In prison, the story repeats itself. Again, God was with him. The warden saw the character of this man and put him in charge of everything. Well it is a long story but Joseph was eventually appointed Prime Minister over all of Egypt. Talk about influence! Pharaoh said, “There is no one so discerning and wise as you. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.” Pharaoh gave Joseph his own signet ring. That gave him authority. Pharaoh said, “I am Pharaoh but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”

Why did Potiphar trust Joseph? Why did the jailor trust Joseph? Why did Pharaoh trust Joseph enough to put him in charge of the whole country? Because Joseph had a track record – a track record of impeccable character. The servant who has been faithful with a few things will be given greater responsibilities.

We have been talking about influence – how to make a difference in the world and in other people’s lives – how to finish and hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” And there are things we can do to be influential. We can learn skills. We can read Dale Carnegie’s book How To Win Friends and Influence People and learn how to smile, how to listen; how to make people feel important and we will have success. They are good techniques. But far more important that what we do, is what we are.

Trust is built on character. What happens if people discover that we lie? What happens if people see that we are selfish and not really concerned about them at all? What happens if people notice that we are not honest in our taxes? Or that we are arrogant? Trust disappears. They don’t trust what we say. They are suspicious of our motives. They no longer listen. When they don’t listen, we have no influence.

The little things matter. A little white lie is a lie. If you ring someone up and you talk to his child but you hear him saying in the background, “Tell him I’m not here” it undermines your trust in that person. It was only a little thing but it demonstrates a flawed character and you certainly won’t trust him with a bigger, more important thing. Stealing a pen is stealing.

And it doesn’t matter that most people will say, “Oh everybody does that.” It is not a question of what everybody does. It is a question of what is right.

In Paul’s first letter to Timothy in the New Testament, he lists the qualities that are required in an elder in the church. Listen to the list from 1 Timothy 3. READ 1 Tim 3:1-7.

In that list there is only one skill mentioned. Elders must be able to teach. You might think that Paul would be concerned about the skills a person needs, but he is not. He is concerned about the person’s character. Without character, he will have no influence.

He says the elder must be above reproach. There should be nothing in him or her that can be justly criticised. He must have a good reputation with outsiders so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap. Even non-Christians should think highly of the elder. If they know that he is hot tempered or immoral or argumentative or gets drunk, they will have no respect and he will have no influence.

And notice how Paul looks for a track record of having done the smaller things well. How can an elder take care of God’s church if his/her own family is out of control? Be faithful in the little things.

In the last few weeks I have based what I have said about influence on the Last Supper. The Last Supper was an occasion when Jesus told the disciples lots of things about how they could be influential even when He would no longer be with them. Is there anything about character in the Last Supper? The Last Supper is filled with character. Jesus got up from the meal and washed the disciples’ feet. What does that say about His heart? It is a powerful demonstration of humility and servanthood. He told them to do likewise. They too must be humble. He said to them “Servants are not greater than their master.”

Then Jesus said that one of them would betray Him. It seems that He quite deliberately indicated to Judas that He knew it was him. Jesus gave Judas a piece of bread and said, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” The others didn’t understand but Judas left the meal and went to the High Priests to betray Jesus. What does that say about character? Judas demonstrated disloyalty and greed and a willingness to sell the person who had shown him the greatest love.

Judas was a man of poor character but he was influential. He influenced the history of the world and, in fact, eternity. How can I say that without character we cannot be an influence? People of bad character can be even more influential than people of good character. We see the influence of evil people all of the time. Maybe they have an even more immediate and more dramatic influence by doing the wrong thing. What caused that gunman in Cumbria to go on a killing spree? Do you think he thought, “I’ll show them. I’ll teach them a lesson”? He wanted to have a profound influence in a short time, and he achieved it.

Yes, you can be of poor character and have a profound influence. It depends what sort of influence you want to have. Is it going to be for good or for evil?

In the events of the passion, Jesus and Judas are contrasted. Judas did what was evil and it appeared that he had won. Jesus did what was right. He acted humbly and submitted to God. He showed a willingness to suffer, and love for the world more than love for Himself. He chose the path of obedience. He died. In the end, who had the greater influence – Judas or Jesus?

After Judas had left the meal, Jesus urged the disciples to also choose the path of obedience – and love.
John 14:23 Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.

John 15:12 My command is this: love each other as I have loved you.

John 15:7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you.

What sort of person are you? Are you the type of person who remains in Jesus; who demonstrates the humility that says that you need Him; who demonstrates the perseverance to maintain that relationship instead of simply doing what is easy; who is a person of the scriptures (God’s word remains in you)? If we are like that, then we will receive whatever we ask for and we will bear fruit.

Jesus said that the world would hate the disciples. They would have to decide whether to remain true or to side with the world. There is a wide, easy way and there is a narrow way. It is our character that will determine which route we take. And which route we take will determine what influence we have.

Jesus referred to us being branches in a vine and said, “Every branch that does bear fruit, God prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” What is that pruning about? Isn’t it more about character? Isn’t it about the types of people we are? Isn’t it more about being changed by the Holy Spirit even when we have to face up to painful things in our own character? I think it is. I think it is about opening ourselves up to God and letting Him cut out from us those things that are not what they should be.

We are pruned so as to bear more fruit. The more our character is transformed, the greater our influence.

To finish let’s reflect on one little bit of the prayer Jesus prayed that night. READ John 17:15-19.

“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.” The disciples were to be different. A different type of person. Not of the world. Not worldly people. People of a different character. In fact, not of the world in the same way that Jesus was not. People of a Christlike character. Holy people.

Jesus’ prayer to God was, “sanctify them.” That mean “make them holy”. And “holy” essentially means 100% dedicated to God. Jesus’ prayer was that they be holy people in the world. He said, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world... but that you make them holy.” Why are we not taken out of the world? So that we can continue to influence the world.

But what is essential if we are to influence? Character. Christlikeness. What sort of person are you? What sort of person you are, will determine what influence you have.

What sort of person do you want to be?

Let’s pray the same prayer Jesus prayed: Lord, sanctify us. Lord, change us.