True Character
"School ’em up" By Ron Brown
There has been a huge push in America’s public schools lately to emphasize character. Take integrity, confidence and loyalty, for example. I admit that they all are great character traits, but where does this character come from? Many schools in our nation assume that the character they are promoting is rooted from some inherent goodness that lies in us all. They promote man’s definition of character, which is insufficient according to the Bible.
Isaiah 64:6 says, “…and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment…” Ouch, God! In essence, God is saying to you and me that apart from a relationship with Him, which is only found in Jesus Christ, we have no character that’s worth counting. Our own self-induced character falls short of God’s standard of character.
| “I do bring Jesus into public schools because I realize I’m not dealing with wounded hearts. I’m dealing with dead hearts that need brand new resurrected lives from Jesus Christ.” |
We have been sold into the thinking that the Christ-centered Gospel message doesn’t have a place in today’s public schools. Presenting the Gospel will quite often put Christians into a place of conflict, and we have come to believe that this is a place in which we don’t belong. We shouldn’t be concerned about being “politically correct.” Instead, we must share that Christ is the Source of our character.
All Christians are called to present Jesus in the public school, but some are checking Him at the front door. It’s like a ball carrier in football who fumbles the ball and keeps running into the end zone without it. Oh yeah, it’s easy to get to the end zone when you don’t have the ball because no one will tackle you. The idea, however, is to get the ball there. And whoever has the ball will experience conflict.
In the same way, whoever has Jesus will have conflict. “In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted ” (2 Timothy 3:12). Yes, we might get ridiculed, persecuted and even ousted in a public school, but let that be God’s business.
Did you see Disney’s* movie The Incredibles? The characters in this movie were superheros. In the film, despite all the good they performed, these heroes were told to back off their efforts and live normal, compliant, civilized lives, or they would get in big trouble. They complied with the authority. From time to time, a few who were restless to escape the boredom and purposelessness of their safe, little lives began to sneak off and find a way to use their super-human efforts to rescue people. But they were chastised by fellow heros because if they got caught, all of them would be persecuted.
One day one of them couldn’t take it anymore. He simply had to be who he was made to be. He decided to courageously launch into the dangerous life of doing good and was willing to take flak from anyone, wanting to never again be denied his true identity!
We Christians are similar to these characters! We are born again with a nature not from this planet, but from heaven. We are called to live super-human lives under the empowerment of the supernatural Holy Spirit, on a rescue mission for lost people on this earth. With that said, what are we doing supporting “philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ” (Colossians 2:8)?
The human character-building emphasis will seem to have some normal, temporary results. But an effective, lasting character that is pleasing to and reflective of God can only come from a relationship with the Source of character, Jesus Christ. Those who follow Jesus then will allow the Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of the Spirit—character qualities of Jesus Himself—in the believer: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Yes, I do bring Jesus into public schools because I realize I’m not dealing with wounded hearts. I’m dealing with dead hearts that need brand new resurrected lives from Jesus Christ. So, are you ready to school ’em up?
Want to stand for something bigger than all the character the world has to offer? You can if you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ! If you’ve never invited Him to be the Lord of your life, pray this prayer: “God, I want to live a life that is worth more than anything in this world. Please come into my heart and into my life. I accept Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and turn from my sin to Him. Please forgive me, Father, and take over as Lord of my life.”
Taken from FCA "Sharing the Victory: Faith and Sport