You’ve probably heard the old saying, “What’s in the well comes up in the bucket.” Proverbs 14, which provides a lot of wisdom around how character matters to God, could easily have included the well saying along with these pearls of wisdom:
- A fool’s mouth lashes out with pride, but the lips of the wise protect them. (v3)
- Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips. (v7)
- The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good rewarded for theirs (v14)
- A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated (v17)
- Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. (V31)
Character Matters – In Selecting a King
1 Samuel 16 tells the story of David’s selection as king of Israel. When the prophet Samuel showed up, Jesse paraded his seven oldest sons in front of the prophet, expecting Samuel to choose the strongest, the most attractive, the best shepherd, or perhaps the wisest looking son. With each son shown, Samuel indicated “The Lord has not chosen this one either”.
Finally, Jesse ran out of prospects and yet no son had been chosen to be the next king of Israel. Samuel asked perhaps what we would have in a similar situation “God sent me here to anoint one of your sons as king. Is this it?”.
Jesse indicated that there was one more son. As the youngest, David was left tending the sheep while his older brothers met with Samuel.
Jesse called David and sure enough, he was the person God chose to be His king.
While David was “glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features”, that isn’t why God selected this young boy. Why the other brothers were disqualified was called out in verse 7 [emphasis mine]:
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
God wanted a king that would put God first, God’s chosen people second, and the king’s own desires third.
Character Matters – In God’s People
If you spend any time studying the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), you’ll see that God is concerned with what’s going on inside the Christian. The Beatitudes talk about the blessedness of the poor in spirit, the meek, the mourners, and those being prosecuted. Surely Jesus you meant the scribes, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees, instead. Look how holy our leaders appear to be. Even Pilate is afraid of them so they must be powerful.
The balance of the Sermon on the Mount was transformational as Jesus turned the world’s values upside down, focusing on issues of the heart: adultery, offerings, divorce, oaths, revenge, giving, worry, prayer, loving others, fasting, judging, and treasures in heaven. What you do or don’t do matters to God. But why you did or didn’t do it matters more.
Again and again, we see that with God, character matters more than skills – what’s in the well (i.e., in the heart). The Pharisees of Jesus’ time met the minutia of the Law (e.g., tithing mint leaves), and yet their hearts were black as they sought to put the long-expected Messiah to death because He disrupted the “good thing” they had going leading the Jewish people.
Character Matters – In Selecting Apostles
At the start of His ministry, Jesus gathered a group consisting of fishermen, a tax collector, and a political zealot. By the world’s standards, these men would not amount to much. Most were illiterate and probably couldn’t quote Scripture like the Jewish scribes and Pharisees. God often chose the lowly and the foolish to do His work (1 Corinthians 1:27-31). Through these 11 apostles, Christ built His church.
Character Matters – In Deacon Selection
In a similar vein, when the first deacons were being selected to serve the early Christian church, God’s selection criteria wasn’t about their skills serving widows:
Therefore brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom. Then we can appoint those men over this business, and we apostles will continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. (Acts 6:3-4).
1 Timothy 3:8-13 tells us
8Â Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9Â They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10Â And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11Â Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12Â Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13Â For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
How the first deacons conducted themselves mattered more than their experience doing “deacon things”. The early church wanted men living godly lives whose witness (their actions) matched their words and was above reproach.
Character Matters – For Each of Us
And therein lies the challenge for the Christian. The world looks at the outside – are you rich? powerful? attractive? have a lot of stuff? successful? That is what’s important to the world.
When we’re not rich, powerful, attractive, or successful, the voices in our heads tell us that we’ve fallen short. We feel alone, guilt, depression – like a failure.
But God looks at our heart. Our character matters more to God than worldly success. Why? Because when we tell someone that we’re a Christian, they immediately assume that what we value is what God values. If you tell lies, then it must be OK with God. If you commit adultery, abuse your family, degrade others, drink excessively, swear, or watch porn, it must be OK with God because you tell everyone that you’re a Christian. When we proudly profess that we’re “Christian”, people assume our behavior and character reflects Jesus’s character and priorities.
Align Your Character With God’s Values
We need to align our values with what God values. God wants us to be godly leaders, not worldly leaders. Prioritize the development of your character. Don’t be spiritual babies (1 Corinthians 4). Follow best practices like prayer, Scripture reading, fellowship with other believers, loving and serving others, and trusting God with every decision. Check out the following passages:
- Matthew 5-7 Â Sermon on the Mount
- Galatians 5:22-23Â Â Fruit of the Spirit
- Romans 12:1-2Â Â How to be transformed
- Matthew 12:34Â For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of
Will we ever fully measure up to God’s standards? Of course not, we’re fallen sinners. Both players in the 1 Samuel 16 story – Samuel and King David – struggled. King David was an adulterer and murderer but was considered “a man after God’s own heart”. David knew that he fell short of God’s standards, repented, and threw himself on God’s mercy. Samuel raised two boys that were considered wicked priests, and yet God used Samuel as a prophet, priest, and judge for the nation of Israel.
What’s In Your Well?
Is your water contaminated with worldly values so when people look at you, they don’t see God? Or does your well hold the pure living water given to you by Jesus Christ?
Let go of the pressure to conform to society’s outward expectations. Be the person God made you to be. Live out your faith with every ounce of your being. Be a vessel of His love, grace, and mercy. Demonstrate it through your love for others who, like you, were created in God’s image. You’ll be amazed how it transforms your life and others God puts around you.
Father, Psalm 51:10 says “Where man sees the surface, you [God] see the heart”. God creates in me a clean heart. Set me apart for your glory.
Ouch. What is inside is what will always come out.