Character Over Image

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. II Chronicles 16:9 (New International Version, NIV)

Some believe that image is more important than character. So many of us try to keep up appearances in order to make people think we are someone we are not. We want to impress people so they will like us. This means we beomes fakes, and it is a strategy that will eventually fail.

We must be ourselves. We need to be real; who God made us to be. We cannot be afraid to show who we really are. We have to be courageous enough to be ourselves and allow ourselves to be vulnerable. It is much more important to have character than to try to keep up a false image.

Those who have a godly character will like you for you. Those who do not are shallow and are lacking in character. They are busy trying to keep up their own charade and have not developed depth of character to accept and love people as they are. They believe they portray a certain image, but those who are discerning can see right through them.

Image is nothing without godly character to back it up. Yes, it’s nice to look good, but what do you do when you don’t measure up to the image you’ve painted of yourself? When you don’t match what people think you are, will you fall apart? Or will you have strength of character to stand up and be who God wants you to be?

Godly character lasts, and it is what God looks for in a person. Image fades with the passage of time, whereas character grows stronger. Image is outward appearance, but character is inward. Man looks at the outside, but God looks at the heart. When we take care of the inside, God will take care of the outside.