What is CHARACTER? From Thesaurus: English (United States) some of the synonyms of character are: make-up, moral fiber, personality, quality, nature. As a Christian you must pay attention to the quality of your character, appearance, excellence, ministry, image, integrity and style, because a tree is known by its fruit.

Matthew 12:33-37
³³ Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. ³⁴ Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. ³⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart^[a] brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.³⁶ But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. ³⁷ For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

A man’s best collateral is his character. Life is said to be a grindstone, it will either grinds you down or polishes you up, it all depends upon what you are made of (it depends on your character). You never see mango on orange tree. We become what we do or fail to do; therefore, promises must be kept, deadlines met, commitments honored. Character is the distinctive qualities that reveal your wisdom, understanding, the knowledge that you possess, which demonstrates a worthy walk in life.

Our actions show our character in this life. Apostle Paul advised Timothy to take heed to his ministry.

1 Timothy 4:12
¹² Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, ^[a]in faith, in purity.

Jesus Christ in His words explained to us how to know people. The best way to know if someone is Christian or not is just by his/her fruit.

Matthew 7: 15-20

¹⁵ Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

In this world too many individual put all their effort into image and appearances, without paying attention to the quality of their character. You should care more about your character than your reputation. Your character is what you really are. Your reputation is only what people think about you. An English Philosopher, wrote: not education but character is man’s greatest need and man’s greatest safeguard.

The truth you believe determines the qualities of your character. Holy, righteous character is something that is developed only through the words of God. Having a desire to live according to the bible. Your character is what God thinks about you. It is one thing you develop in this world and take with you into the next.

Galatians 2:20

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15

¹⁰ According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw

 ¹³ each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Galatians 5:22-26

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

God wants to see His Son in us, He wants to see His character in us, then we begin to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit. Then we will develop the Spiritual knowledge and character through personal, intimate, continuous contact with God through prayer and Christian fellowship with God’s children in the church.