Godly Character is Important

Godly character is important because it is what identifies us as people who represent God, and one of our main responsibilities as God’s people is that we help connect people to His Son, Jesus Christ. How else would people know who we are? Talk is cheap. A lot of people are really good and crafty with “talking the talk,” but not “walking the walk.” In this day and age, people who are hurting, hopeless, and hungry for spiritual guidance and want to feel comfortable in knowing that the people that they are reaching out to, the people that they are placing their confidence and trust in are authentic in character and in deed, not just about a lot of “lip service.” They are looking for certain consistent Godly characteristic traits that are demonstrated on a regular basis such as love, integrity, kindness, humility, mercy, commitment, respect, consistency, etc.

In Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus is teaching about the fruits in people lives. Although he is specifically addressing the subject matter of false prophets, the concept here of recognizing people by the fruits that they bear is very applicable to our subject matter of Godly Characteristics. It is within this framework that Jesus warns His disciples about people not being who they pretend to be. He states in verse (15), “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Wow! Have you ever had such an experience with someone who you thought was someone other than who they pretended to be? I know I’ve personally have, in fact, on several occasions. Needless to say, this can be, and has been very devastating for some of us who have had this type of experience. But how would the disciples be able to determine their authenticity, whether they were actually true prophets or false prophets? I’m so glad you asked that question (smile). Jesus gives us the answer in the very next verse (16), “By their fruit you will recognize them” (He also repeats this in verse 20). His metaphoric examples of fruit become the principle that we can use to help us identify authentic Godly characteristics in people.

We should be evaluating peoples’ words by how they live their lives, not just by the words that they often speak. If one has publicly announced that they are Godly people, Christians, Children of the Most High God, then they should be expected to demonstrate Godly Characteristics on a regular basis (not just on Sundays at church...smh). This type of conduct would be in conformity with Jesus’ illustration of the trees being consistent with the kind of fruit they produce. “Good trees bear good fruit, and bad trees bear bad fruit” (vs. 17). When these same people act contrary to who and what they say that they are, it sends mix signals as well as confusion to those who may be in the process of being ministered unto, mentored, and managed. One day they’re reciting Scriptures, shouting and praising the Lord, jumping on and over the pews and running around the church, and then BEFORE they can get off of the church’s parking lot, they are in confrontation with some other church member, cussing their children out, fussing with their spouse, flicking cigarette butts and trash out of their car, or something else that contradicts and is inconsistent with their proclaimed Godly character.

Please don’t get me wrong, nobody is perfect, and although we may have professed to be Godly, we will still make mistakes because we ALL have sinned and fallen short of God’s Glory (Romans 3:23), but that is not what is being implied here. This article is intended to help remind us that we need to make sure that we consistently PRACTICE what we preach to the BEST of our ability because God is sending people across our path who He is expecting us as Godly people, Godly Christian people, to connect them with Jesus Christ as well as impact their lives in a very encouraging and positive manner. If we are sending mixed signals, chances are people will be very hesitant and even resistant in embracing us and our Christian message.

In Galatians 5:22-23, it gives us a very clear depiction of what Godly characteristics look like: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (self-control). Be honest with yourself, have you been PRACTICING loving people? Not just the loveable, but also the unloveable. Have you been PRACTICING longsuffering (patience)? Not just in peaceful situations, but when it’s chaotic? Have you been PRACTICING having self-control? Not just in controlled environments, but in those environments where you are being tempted to participate in something that is not of God. Hopefully, you get the picture of what is being said here. Furthermore, we who are Godly Christian people must also remember that to much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48b).

In closing, one may determine that he or she still has some work to do in terms of working on his or her Godly characteristics because they are indeed very important. In fact, one may even conclude that he or she needs assistance with understanding how this developmental process can take place. Well, wonder no more (smile). My next article will be on, How Godly Character is Developed. Just remember this as you work towards getting better, we ALL are a work in progress, and it’s not where you start, but where you finish (smile).

Let’s pray,

Father, we thank you for reminding us that we need to make sure we look more like you when we are professing to be your Children. Help us to demonstrate Godly characteristics on a consistent basis, and that it lines up with our verbal conversations as we are assigned to minister, mentor, and manage people who you have placed in our possession. When we fall short, forgive us, strengthen us, and lead us to you for instructions on how to make it better.

In Jesus name we pray, AMEN.

Rev. Frankie Morton

Email me and let me know what your thoughts are on this article, and if this blog has been a blessing to you.