Character Over Charisma

There are people who cheat, lie, steal, and cut corners, yet they seem to get away with it. Maybe you’ve thought, “Why shouldn’t I do that? Why should I play by the rules?” Here’s why: In the end, those people will reap what they sow. The Bible tells us, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7 NKJV).

The longer I live, the more impressed I am with character over charisma. I’ve seen a lot of preachers with dynamic personalities flame out because they didn’t seek to maintain honesty and integrity. The psalmist David wrote, “I will be careful to live a blameless life—when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home” (Psalm 101:2 NLT). And in Psalm 119:1 we read, “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord” (NLT). The great evangelist D. L. Moody said, “If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself.”

In the Old Testament, we read about Daniel, a man of integrity, someone who always sought to do the right thing. On one occasion, it caused his arrest. After the king signed a decree that no one could pray to any god, only to him, Daniel prayed to God anyway. His enemies had him arrested and thrown into a lion’s den. What a bleak scenario that was. But how did the story end? His enemies ended up being eaten by lions, and Daniel lived to pray another day.

The same thing happened to Joseph, whose story we find in the Book of Genesis. Joseph lived with honesty and integrity, and although Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him of rape, he received vindication in the end. If you live with honesty and integrity, you will, too.