Character Recession

This past week, we witnessed a governor and the head of a major stock exchange fall from their positions of power. Why? An absence of character. Bill Hybels wrote a book entitled “Character is What You Do When No One is Looking.” It's also been suggested that character is best revealed by what a person would do if he or she knew they would never get caught.

No matter how you slice the subject of character, it all comes back to behavior. A person's character is the sum total of what a person says and does. Every individual is in absolute control of his or her words and actions -- no exceptions. If our nation is to be rescued from the current character crisis, we must understand character is corrupted over time. There have been a myriad of politicians and chief executive officers who have been brought low by corrupt character through the centuries. However, not one of them woke up one day and thought, "Today I will perpetrate a great crime." No, they all arrived at their great downfall one step at a time. J

esus said that a person faithful in little things would also be faithful with much. The converse is also true. A person that does not give attention to little things will also be irresponsible with much. In the final analysis, it is a lot of little moral failures that produce corrupt character.

There is no quick-fix or bail-out for America's crisis of character. One by one, we must take responsibility for our words and deeds, our actions and reactions. It will take time. However, enough people practicing good character can reach a tipping point. If it does, we will once again see integrity, the fruit of character, flourish in America.