We tend to measure the character of a person by the way he or she deals with fellow human beings. A person is most esteemed when they appear to evidence true concern for others, taking steps to treat them as he or she would wish to be treated, and genuinely working in behalf of their interests. However, it is repeatedly observed that the true nature of an individual becomes evident when they are put under severe stress, or possibly placed in an untenable situation where they may suffer great loss at the hands of others. It is then that the underlying character traits of that person will surface, often to the surprise and dismay of friends and associates who thought they knew them. It is in those times when the "dark" side of each and everyone of us can become dominant.

All sorts of approaches are touted to make us "better" people. Christians encourage fellowship with other Christians who emulate right qualities, church going, prayer, Bible study, etc. Non-Christians are enticed by support and accountability groups, counseling, and motivational seminars to enhance interactive skills. While it cannot be denied that activities and associations of these sorts can improve conduct and produce an inner euphoria, the real test for all of these comes when life gets tough and the situation spins out of control, for in those times we tend to revert back to our old way of doing business.

It is certainly true that it is easier to maintain an inner stability and appealing demeanor when things are going well. For the purpose of the following remarks I'd like to limit them just to those people who are sincerely trying to live better lives in the most noble sense, while ignoring those who deliberately create facades of deception for their own selfish ends. However, even within that limitation, a study of life leads me to conclude that this world is abounding with pitfalls that can cause even the good intentioned to become discouraged with their progress toward the goal of a better life. Here are the kinds of things where our response may seem so noble at first, but can later lead to personal attitudes and conduct that are most unbecoming and inappropriate.

• Unjust or dishonest actions intentionally directed against us

• Right causes or principles that become endangered or trashed

• Threats to goals in which we have invested much of our lives

• Scorn or ridicule of our most cherished beliefs

Obviously, such issues in life must be addressed and dealt with, but our continuing involvement with these potential sources of danger to improved character, as they typically escalate, can create attitudes in us and prompt aggressive actions from us that we find difficult to reconcile within the context of the Biblical principles that should govern our character. For example, 

If everyday issues like those cited above endanger our character and spiritual growth, just what are the dangers? What penalties do we  pay for our inability or unwillingness to meet the Biblical standards set down for us? Actually, we can probably agree that we need to consider our responses to the pitfalls of life in two parts, i.e. initial response, then continuing response after some time of cogitation. 

We all have that basic character flaw that might be termed a "fallen nature". That deficiency prompts an immediate reaction that is typically driven by self-interest. That predisposition will almost universally evoke a quick response that is self-centered and neglectful of others. It stems from the fact that we are quickly offended when treated unjustly or scorned, as we are likewise threatened when our beliefs or goals in life are attacked. Therefore, that impulsive response is usually one of withdrawal, defense, or counterattack.

Nonetheless, it is the long-term negative response that is most damaging to character and spiritual growth, because it will reflect the more subtle truth  concerning who is really in charge of our life? If we pursue a deliberate path of self-interest, which is the natural by-product of a "fallen nature", the following adverse consequences are guaranteed:

• We will never see the the more noble character qualities of our life rise to the surface.

• Since we are trusting ourselves rather than God, our faith in Him will be stifled. 

• Since we must take the credit or blame for the result, we will never behold God's work through the test, and may even try to hold Him responsible if the result is disappointing.

Let's face it! It goes against the grain of our "fallen nature" to voluntarily take whatever control we may have of a situation and consciously put that control into the hands of the God we say we trust. Yet that is precisely the step we must be willing to take if we are ever to see any real change for the better in our character. Here are the steps outlined in the Bible that will effect the results most of us would secretly like to have happen in our lives.

1. The Bible declares that we must first receive a "new nature" to replace that old "fallen nature" we all have.

2. We must then choose to walk in the Spirit of that "new nature".

3. As we choose this way of life, we can have our minds transformed as we confront the pitfalls of life.

It seems to me that we have in these steps a formula, as it were, for successful living that will ensure both character and spiritual growth.

That first step above implies that we must first come to the conclusion that something is missing in our ability to improve ourselves, and that the source of the problem is fundamentally - US! We need a new nature before we can seriously tackle the problem of character improvement. The God of the Bible claims He knows what is wrong and how to fix it, but we must make the decision to abandon the use of our old "fallen nature" before there would be any reason for Him to give us a new one.

That second step implies that even with a new nature from God, we still have the free will to choose which one will reign in our life. Even with the gifts of the "fruit of the Spirit", which are obviously not the kinds of attitudes that we possess on a routine basis, we must still choose to employ them when a pitfall arrives.

That third step tells us how to employ them. In the absence of the "new nature", severe pitfalls of life will yield predictable responses. We will conform our attitudes and actions to the way the world does it. After all, the world is full of people with "fallen natures" just like us, so why would we expect to be fundamentally different from the rest of humanity? However, if we have earlier received that "new nature" from step 1 with those new attitudes given in step 2, we now have the potential for real growth as implied by this third step. We can now choose to have our minds transformed, i.e. "rewired", along a different and better path. That better path is the one that results from attitudes like "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control". Surely, it is easy to see that actions stemming from this radical change of thinking will be far superior to the ones that usually smudge our character.  

Moreover the benefits for spiritual growth are manifold because,

• If we are using God's innate attributes, He must be pleased and we can enjoy fellowship with Him.

• We can be assured of God's protection through the whole matter.

• We can look forward to God's victory through the trial (John 16.33)

(For a more complete review of this problem see Activities III and IV of the Spirituality Workshop).

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