How Character Effects Actions

Do you desire your “doing” to be different? Whether it’s organization and consistency in your daily schedule, reactions to unpleasant circumstances, training children, ways to use your time, or a slew of other things: we find ourselves desiring to do differently than we actually achieve.

Just as the success of the crop rests upon the health of the soil, so the outer expressions of our lives are dependent on who we are on the inside. We see this truth addressed in the words of Jesus in Luke 6:45: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth for the that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of this heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”

In “Habits of a Healthy Home”, author Bill Carmichael gives the analogy of our homes being the soil where children, like seeds, are planted. He said, “Healthy homes that produce good ground are the result not so much of how we parent but of who we are as parents, as families.”

On a personal level: much of what molded my mindset and character was the consistent daily example my precious Momma & Daddy lived before me. Yes, I received discipline and lengthy lectures, but their lifestyle was the primary teaching tool in my life. They taught me to pray by their prayer life; they taught me to work by their work ethic; they taught me to be faithful by their faithfulness, and the list could go on and on. I know my parents would be the first ones to tell you that they weren’t perfect, but I can say that the character my parents allowed God to build in them made their training efforts effective.

Are you living the life you want others to follow? Let’s all ask God to cleanse the inside of our lives that the outside would be clean as well (Matt. 23:26).