I wanted to share a recent post by my Senior Pastor, Andy Elmes, on his daily email devotional, Breakfast of Champions, regarding how important character is over gifting:
“The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out. Many a man claims to have unfailing love, but a faithful man who can find? These verses ask the question, “Who can find a faithful man?”. Faithfulness is a character thing, something that dwells within the unseen wiring of a person’s life. Let’s further consider the topic of gifts and fruit, talents and character.” Proverbs 20:5-6 (NIV)
Too often in the headlines we experience the reality of people, who are highly gifted or talented, one day finding themselves in a place where they can no longer exist or remain because the character part of their life was not strong enough or developed enough to keep them safe in their success.
When you have strong gifting you will find that opportunities and success are never far away. But be aware that often, within that opportunity or success, there is not just stuff that can profit you, but also stuff that has the potential to destroy you. If you have no, or under-developed, character, that stuff can take you from being a person with a long future and destiny to being someone that has a mere moment of fame or success.
So what is it that keeps you safe from some of the side effects of fame and opportunity? The answer is simple: your God-developed character. It is this that enables you to say no when you need to and to walk away when you know your integrity is on the line. Remember, the compromises and things that come to ruin you are rarely ugly but rather good looking – they sound ‘kind of right’ and smell real good. Champion, always take time to sense what is going on in your spirit (what God is saying) when suspicious opportunities arrive, and then always have the courage to follow what God is saying; this could well save you.
Your character is all about what happens in the real, inside you; it finds its strength in what you truly believe and what you value. Let God’s word and ways continue to influence and impact the development of your character, then purpose to live true to it – especially when the offers are really good but not really God! In doing so you are setting yourself up for long and continued success!
Bottom line: although you shouldn’t ignore one for the sake of the other, character is more important than talent or gift.
Andy’s daily email devotional is free, and always packed with inspiring and powerful bit-sized thoughts. You can sign up to receive Breakfast of Champions by going to http://breakfastofchampions.co.uk.
