Someone described character as, “Doing the right thing when nobody’s watching!” That’s a pretty good definition because it communicates the importance of right behavior when there’s no one to impress. It seems like with every passing generation the issue of character somehow loses it’s footing again and again. It’s now the norm in our culture to do whatever benefits us as individuals and to not think so much about the other guy. That’s a tragic thing in my opinion

Character is both ‘taught’…..and ‘caught’; As parents first, then teachers, mentors, coaches and leaders of every kind we have an incredible opportunity, …… and responsibility before us to teach and model character to those who are listening and watching. We can set the bar up there in how we handle every situation if we will. It’s one thing to teach it, but an altogether different thing to walk it out. Our words don’t end up meaning much if we’re not living them out. As parents that’s a big one because our kids see our conduct and that’s what really sticks with them no matter what our words say.

Money, and how we handle it,  seems to always rise to the surface among the topics that really test our character. It’s just wise to be aware of that as we go about our business. But character shows up most in how we treat our ‘fellow man’. When we “do unto others as we’d have them to do unto us” character begins to shine through. It’s just the right thing to do.

We’re never too young, or too old to learn character and when we find we’ve flunked an important test we can, and should, go back and make the situation right if possible. If that’s not possible we can learn from it and not let it happen again. Character matters, and it matters a lot! It has to start with you and I. Let’s do our part to restore character in our world!