Character
by Doug Reese TTNL
As head football coach of the then world champion, Dallas Cowboys, Tom Landry made many of the decisions concerning "America's Team." The Cowboys reached the playoffs year after year not only because of their innovation, coaching, but also because of the quality of their athletic personnel. When it came to drafting rookies, signing free agents, and forming the team, character qualities of the individual team members was a key element for success according to Coach Landry.
"You know, for the Cowboy's, when we draft men for our team, we look for five things, and the first is character," noted Landry. When asked, "What if you find a terrifice athlete who lacks character?" Landry responded, "That's easy. We don't draft him. I have noticed that there's never been an exception. When any one of our men gets involved with drugs, their character leaves. They're finished. It's just a matter of time."

For NFL Hall of Fame Coach Tom Landry, character was the key element that each athlete must have for the Dallas Cowboys to be successful. Character was the number one thing he looked for in his athletes. Why? "Character is the most important determinant of a person's success, achievement and ability to handle adversity," says Coach Landry.

Athletic Principle

We hear so many people talk about character and its importance, so actually what is it? Character is defined as the aggregate (the rock) of features and traits that form the individual nature of a person...moral or ethical qualities...qualities of honesty...courage...integrity...reputation. A person once said that, character is what we are when nobody is looking.

Branch Rickey, the owner and manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers once said, "I always look for what I call 'the red thread' of discipline, confidence, courage, and commitment in a man's life. I look for it in every rookie." If we were to poll coaches and ask them about the character qualities necessary for athletes to be successful, we would most likely hear responses like this:
  • "Reliable."
  • "Committed."
  • "Trustworthy."
  • "Disciplined."
  • "Self-sacrificing."
  • "Dedication."
  • "Determination."
  • "Concentration."
  • "Perseverance."
  • "Self-Control."
  • "Confidence."
  • "Team Player."
If an athlete had these character qualities, most coaches would jump for joy, for they would have the makings of a champion. Too many athletic careers are lost because of a lack of character...pride gets in the way. Short cuts are taken, compromises are made, and discipline disappears. Character is lost and a downward spiral begins that tragically short-circuits the potential that was once there.
"Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, riches take wing, those who cheer today will curse tomorrow; only character endures." - Horace Greeley
A long list of athletes could be mentioned here, who threw away great athletic careers because of a lack of character. Drugs, gambling, alcohol, poor choices in friends all can cause an athlete to fall from greatness. Read the current sport pages and see for yourself...drunk driving, sexual assaults, gambling debts, and even murder...it is all happening today!
"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." - John Wooden, Head Basketball Coach, UCLA
It is said that life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends upon what you are made of.

What are you made of? Take a good close look. Do some evaluations on yourself now.

God's Performance Principle

God's desire for us is pretty simple, His quest is to conform us in the image of His Son, Jesus.
"And I am sure that God who began the good work within you will keep right on helping you grow in his grace until his task within you is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ returns." (Philippians 1:6)
God began a good work in you and He is not about to stop. God is continually hammering, filing, chiseling, shaping and tempering us. God is concerned with our character. In Peter's second letter goes as far as to list some of the things that God wants developed in us...diligence, faith, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness and love (2 Peter 1:5-7). In a word...character.

Developing character qualities in us is God's relentless quest. God will not stop His quest until Hed completes His checklist. When it comes to character traits, God gets us into action, but His quest must also be our quest. Concerns of His heart, become concerns of our heart. Since God is concerned with our character, so then we need to be also.
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." (Proverbs 4:23)
That's right - guard your heart! Put a sentinel on duty. Watch it carefully. Protect it. Pay attention to it. Keep it clean. Clear away the debris. The Living Bible say this about the heart, "Above all else, guard your affections. For they influence everything else in your life." (Proverbs 4:23). Influences can be positive or negative, good or evil. So the bad stuff can also easily hide out in your heart.
"But when you follow your own wrong inclinations your lives will produce these evil results: impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, spiritism, hatred and fighting, jealousy and anger, constant effort to get the best for yourself, complaints and criticisms, the feeling that everyone else is wrong except those in your own little group - and there will be wrong doctrine, envy, murder, drunkeness, wild parties, and all that sort of thing." (Galathians 5:19-21)
How important is the heart! How important is your character! It is in the heart - "the wellspring of life" where character is formed. Its treasures are priceless - so guard it! When God is at the center of our lives he will produce this kind of character in us:
"...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22)
If you belong to Christ, then you have had your natural evil desires nailed to the cross and have had them crucified there. Your goal is to follow God's direction in every area of your life including athletics. Because of God's great love for you, he will mold you into the image of His Son. You will develop the character of Christ. Guard your heart and follow Him.
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