Morning Devotional

October  22, 2005
"Character"      
    by Don Emmitte

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There was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless, a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil. He had seven sons and three daughters. He owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred teams of oxen, and five hundred female donkeys, and he employed many servants. He was, in fact, the richest person in that entire area. (Job 1:1-3 NLT).

You may recall my mentioning dethatching Kyle’s yard. It was very hard work. All of it was done by hand and believe me when I say I still have the remnants of the blisters to prove it! However, as I have been able to watch the new grass come in and see the beauty it has created I see the value of our labor. That thought brought me to our reading this morning. You remember the story of Job. He was a man of character and integrity. He faced tremendous trial and in the end, he remained steadfast and was all the better for his experiences.

Helen Keller said, "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." In similar manner, and as the above quote by Helen Keller conveys, godly character cannot develop by living a life of complacency. Such a bland existence might direct us away from adversity, but the end result is an individual who lacks strength, determination and wisdom. Instead, our entire being becomes sluggish, in much the same way the water of a pond stagnates when it is overrun with bacteria.

While on this earth, there are no guarantees. We may enter it expecting only clear sailing, but the truth of the matter is, no journey is totally without at least a few bumps in the road. Sometimes, we find ourselves at a dead end, and must turn around, ask for directions, and set back out to drive. Other times, we may come to an unexpected detour, which may initially be stressful, but once we reach our destination, we see there really was nothing to fear. The only certainty for the Christian is our salvation.

When I look back at my life thus far, I am sometimes amazed at how I have endured various trials and tribulations. Not only did I bear my own hardships, but as parents, we often carry the burdens of our children as well. When they hurt, we hurt. It is that simple.

Our Heavenly Father is the same way. He does not enjoy seeing us going through hard times, but He promises those people who believe in Him that we shall find peace, comfort and strength in His arms. Are you going through a hard time? Call on God and let Him direct your path. Not one person I know enjoys pain, suffering or turmoil, but if we are afraid to experience those times of ebb and flow we will never be able to grow beyond our present. The possibility of blisters cannot deter us from dethatching the yard if we want to see the new grass sprout creating incredible beauty!