character

"character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking."
j.c. watts

practicing to get better at a sport when no coaches or players are around to impress, putting in the extra hours to study that no one sees, "but when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing..." (matthew 6:3) that is character. you aren't doing the right thing in a hypocritical way; you aren't doing it to impress anyone; you are doing it because it is the right thing to do. but now things have changed, and while that quotation is still true, its opposite is equally true:

character is doing the right thing when everyone is looking.

when we are some place and "everyone else is doing it" and everyone is looking at us to do the same thing, that is when it takes real character. it takes real character to stand up and live out our beliefs and say no to what is wrong even though "everyone else is doing it." so when all eyes are on you, it turns out it is harder to live out your beliefs. those beliefs that you developed late one night while lying in your bed when no one was looking. who cares what your beliefs are if you don't live them out? the true test of character is carrying out your beliefs, when everyone is looking.

but why is there this change? once upon a time people would sin in private because these kinds of things were taboo. we used to hide our skeletons in our closets in under our beds, but now we parade around with them on our sleeves. but once again, why this change? society used to be better in public than in private, but now we are better people in the shelter of our own room and house. but why?

today, living this out can be mcuh harder than j.c. watts definition of character, because we are so preoccupied with how we look and how other people view us. we are so self-conscience with what other people think, that soon our opinions and belief don't mean as much as other's opinions. when in reality everyone is just as self-conscious, so they have no time to focus on what you are doing although it may seem all eyes are on you. and even if they are paying attention to you, memories fade faster than you think. and plus if you stand up for your beliefs, it may encourage others to do the same, so you won't be standing on your own. but this takes such courage, more courage than i have in most cases. so here's to an end of cowardice. any thoughts?
-michael