How can you build Character?

To answer the question, let’s begin looking at what character means in itself.

A character isn’t just an act, but the way that defines how we conduct ourselves in the community, and on a daily basis. A character tells others of who we truly are. 

Also, a character isn’t something you can build overnight, and character building takes time.  

Here’s how I think you can build character in 3 steps. 

Step One: You build character through personal values

Personal values are both private and public. Individual values are the ones that other people don’t see in you. Public values are what people see through your actions and words.

What is a value?

Value is a principle or a standard that guides your everyday living. It determines how you prioritize things in your daily life.

Personally, values that build my character come from faith in God through Jesus Christ.

There is a scripture that talks about character building, which lays out four important elements that could help you build character. 

And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5: 2-4. NIV. 

Have faith

As a Christian, I have belief in God. Faith is not just a feeling, but a lifestyle.

It requires a particular way of life that means embracing a daily practice of spiritual disciplines, which include: Prayer, Bible study and Journaling (or listening for and to God), and more.

Rejoice even in suffering

To rejoice does not mean ignoring or living in denial about the reality of what you’re facing.

It is an attitude and value you choose to have when facing adversity. It is this attitude that will help you endure and eventually help you hope for something much better in the days, weeks, months or years to come.

This attitude consists of doing two things.

First, acknowledge and be aware of the testing you’re facing. [su_list icon=”icon: arrow-circle-o-right”]

• Name and describe it. Some of the practical ways to do it could be to write it down.
• Share it with someone else.

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Next, choose to stand against what you’ve just named and described. Here’s how you could do it.

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• Tell yourself that you are a winner.
• Speak to the situation you’re facing saying that it’s going to lose because you’re a winner. Doing so will cast away all your fears. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. (Matthew 10: 28)

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Persevere

Another value you should have is perseverance. Having faith that you are a winner will help you face anything in life unafraid.

First, you know that nothing will destroy you. It can affect your body, but never your soul (Matthew 10:28).

Secondly, tell yourself that things will never remain the same. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.

This value is more than being positive. It derives from your faith in God as well as your values.

I, personally, believe that God is in control all the time. And, He makes things work for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His own purpose (Romans 8: 28).

Hope for better days

Yes, Romans 8:28 makes me hope for better days. I know that we can plan the future, but the only Person who decides what my future will look like at the end of the day is God. He holds our future in His hands.

Your hope should not only come out what you plan for in your future. It should be grounded rather on your faith in God.

Does this then mean that you don’t have to plan for your future when facing adversity?

That’s not what I’m saying here.

Here’s what I mean: dream, plan, write projects for your future. And leave it up to what the future brings hoping you will be able to fulfill your destiny here on earth no matter what.

Step Two: You build character through relationships

You build character through relationships. However, not all relationships can help you develop character. So you need healthy relationships to help you do just that.

Relationships consist of 4 categories:

• You
• God
• People
• Nature (environment)

The first relationship is with self: spirit, soul, mind, and body

Your spirit is a component of who you are, and which makes you also a spiritual being. For Christians, it connects us to God. 

It is what gives awareness of the existence of a Supreme Being, the Creator.

According to the Bible, you were made to be just like God (Genesis 1:27). It is this part of you that was made to be in God’s image. 

Your soul is the place where you experience emotions, affection, love, or any other feeling. The mind is where we process ideas, thoughts. It is the place where we make decisions on what to say or do. 

It is also referred to as the non-physical part of your brain.

And the body is the physical “you.” That is what people can see of you. Everything else is in your body.

Your relationship with all of these elements makes who you are today. They are all gifts from God to you. 

And if any part of you isn’t OK, it is likely all the others not to be too. They are interconnected and interdependent. You cannot be you only with a soul without a body, a spirit, and mind, for instance. 

Knowing that you are living on earth, another relationship is that, which you should have with your environment. 

The kind of values that will build your character at this level include, but are not limited to: 

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• Spiritual disciplines: prayer, Bible study.
• Loving people. Serving them: mission projects at your church or community.
• Bible study (verse memorization exercise), reading and continuing education.
• Healthy eating, physical exercise, and good sleep. 

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The second relationship is with God (faith)

You build character by staying connected with God. 

God is perfect and eternal. Nothing changes God. But, God changes everything.

Here’s how you should maintain your faith:

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• Pray daily
• Study the Bible daily
• Belong to a small group
• Attend church weekly
• Serve others

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The third relationship is with other people

Define values to help you relate well with other people. These values will determine: 

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• how you think of others.
• how you speak with them.
• what you do for them and why you do it.

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The fourth relationship is with nature

Your relationship with nature has to do with values that come out of why you are right where you live. 

A perspective you should come from is that, which we find in Genesis 2: 15. 

Your character is therefore grounded in the idea that God has appointed you to work and keep your surroundings. 

Your surroundings represent every element that defines your current location: physical address, state of mind, type of relationships, and so forth. 

Step Three: You build character through stewardship

Knowing your values, and that they’re defined in the context of relationships, you then move to the third component of character building: stewardship.

Stewardship is all about caring for the resources you have in your life: faith (personal values), people and nature. 

I look at stewardship as a ministry given to all humankind. I often refer to this scripture, the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.

My firm belief is that you and I have been put where we are right now to work and keep our surroundings. These include people and nature. 

Doing so is what I call stewardship, which also has to do with our money (or income) as well as gifts and talents.

There are a lot of ways you can build character through stewardship.

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• You could begin by stating what you love the most about nature and environment. Then, think of what you could do to help maintain what you love.
• Another way to care for nature is to think regarding how you would like your environment to look like 20 to 50 years from now. How do you want it to be for your children and their children when they grow up.
• Lastly, teach caring to others. Start with your family. Talk of how, as a family, you can engage in caring for your community. All this may mean picking up trash once a month, cleaning the outside of your public library, and so forth.

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Bringing it together

You build character through defining good personal values, healthy relationships and stewardship. That way, you also grow spiritually and in influence.

If this has been helpful to you, I will appreciate if you can share it with your friends or family. Also, let me know if you know of another way to help someone build character. I want to learn from you.