HOW CHARACTER DEVELOPS, PART III: WHAT WE SERVE

Romans chapter 3






Today we are walking in: How Character Develops, Part III: What We Serve






Today we look to the word-LEADER- H5057 nagiyd-- leader, ruler, captain, prince; excellent thing, (chief) governor, leader, noble, prince, (chief) ruler.







The Torah Testifies.............................

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The prophets proclaim...............







Isaiah 55:4 - Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader H5057 and commander to the people.


















The writings bear witness.............







2Chronicles 32:21 - And the LORD sent an angel, which cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the leaders H5057 and captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels slew him there with the sword







Chapter 5

How Character Develops, Part III: What We Serve




“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”1 —Yahusha of Nazareth




We’ve been exploring the process of character development, which we could also refer to as our “philosophical journey”—how our beliefs, convictions, and values develop, as well as where they take us in life. Once we formulate our values, we translate them into specific personal moral standards, or principles, that express in what manner we will commit to live. The combination of our values comprises our personal standpoint, from which our morals are derived.




Moral Standards, or Principles




One dictionary definition of moral is “of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior.” Principle can be defined as “a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption.” Moral standards, therefore, have to do with our beliefs about right and wrong behavior, based on the fundamental assumptions, or laws, that we have adopted.




True leaders esteem time-honored moral standards. Many contemporary leaders may recognize moral standards, but they do not esteem them. They do not hold them in high regard. How many leaders truly ask themselves, “Is this decision or opportunity that is open to me moral?” or, “Is what I’m about to do ethical?”




Unfortunately, people’s concepts of “right” and “wrong” have become hazier today, contributing to the ethical crisis among our leaders. Yet, as we will see in teaching 7, this confusion often occurs as a mental or emotional response, more than as a response from the core of a person’s inner being— the seat of his conscience, which responds to moral absolutes.




We must make a commitment to follow honorable principles. Leaders of character live by standards, not by expediency. Many people today are under great pressure to be expedient—to serve the needs or demands of a given moment or situation, rather than to serve their unique purpose in life and to do so according to moral standards. In my view, what we call “political correctness” is often a contemporary form of expediency that leads people to compromise their values.




Leaders of character live by standards, not by expediency. Leaders are individuals who live by a set of principles that they will not compromise, even for the sake of expediency. They are able to do so because they have declared independence from the expectations of others. They are more concerned with manifesting their true selves than with “proving” themselves to others. In this regard, we could refer to a leader’s commitment to time-honored principles as “ethical correctness.” That should be the standard for twenty-first-century leaders.




Moral Standards Come from Within




Yahusha of Nazareth said,

Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.2




Immoral actions begin in the heart, or the subconscious mind. For example, individuals often practice lies before they tell them. People generally premeditate stealing, lying, committing adultery, or engaging in other unethical behavior. Then, they wait for an opportunity to do so, and when it arises, they take it. Some people may not specifically be “waiting” for an opportunity. However, they have imagined the act in their minds, and this weakens their willpower. Consequently, when the opportunity presents itself, they are much more likely to succumb, and actually do it.




In this sense, a thief was a thief before he stole something; a liar was a liar before he told an untruth. Everything a person does is rehearsed before it’s manifested, because it comes from the core values and morals he has constructed for himself.




Moral Standards Are Personal Decisions




Being intentional about the moral standards by which we will live always involves making personal decisions. Standards are not just principles we think are “good ideas” we would do well to follow. Why? Because we can live our entire lives thinking that something is a good idea—but never follow it. So, moral standards are not just what we intellectually affirm to be right and beneficial; they are principles that we have made an active decision to follow.




Our beliefs determine our actions as they become our standards for living. Whatever we truly believe in, we will serve. This is a crucial point that each of us needs to take to heart: We must determine beforehand what we will serve. If we don’t, we will allow our impulses, our circumstances, or other people’s opinions to control us. We will never fulfill our leadership purpose and convictions if we haven’t already decided to serve the values and moral standards that align with them and by which they can be accomplished.




It is easy for leaders to get caught in the trap of holding a double standard— not following the principles that they require or expect others to follow. For example, if parents are to exercise moral leadership in their homes, they must set an example for their children. Many young people today are frustrated because their parents expect them to behave according to ethical principles while the parents are engaging in unethical and immoral conduct— unsportsmanlike behavior, gossip, lying, cheating, abusing alcohol, and the like. Then parents wonder why, for instance, their daughter becomes pregnant at age thirteen, or their son gets arrested for drunk driving at age seventeen. They attempt to correct their children, when they themselves have allowed the children to become corrupted because they haven’t instructed them in values or set a clear example of what it means to be an ethical leader.




Moral leadership doesn’t always require many words. A principled leader can walk into a room of people and change the whole environment just by being there. Character has an atmosphere that goes with it. That is why I have said that character, or moral force, is the key to inspirational leadership. When you have moral force, you will inevitably inspire people. And that moral force comes from your convictions, which are translated into values and moral standards that set an example for others.




A principled leader can walk into a room of people and change the whole environment just by being there.




Examples of Personal Moral Standards




How can you establish moral standards for yourself? After you have developed a written statement of your values, you should also write down your personal principles for living. In the previous teaching, we discussed the example of a person who values the institution of marriage. Here is how that personal value could translate to a written moral standard for someone who is married: “I value the institution of marriage, so my corresponding personal moral standard, or principle for living, is that I will be faithful, and remain faithful, to my spouse.”




We also used the example of esteeming the quality of honesty. Here is how that value could translate to a moral standard for a businessperson: “I esteem the quality of honesty; therefore, my corresponding moral conviction, or principle, is that I will always tell the truth to my customers and never overcharge them or bill them for services that were not performed.”




Here is another example in relation to an individual who values the benefits of a strong and healthy physical body: “I value having a strong body that will enable me to live longer, be more productive, and enjoy life better. My corresponding moral conviction, or principle, is that I will maintain a fit body by regularly eating healthy foods and exercising, and by not abusing alcohol, drugs, or other addictive substances.”




Discipline




Once we have determined our moral standards, written them down, and declared them to others, what does it take to keep them? We will explore this theme in more depth in a later teaching on how character is tested. But first, to be intentional about our character—following through with our established standards—requires exercising personal discipline. If we have genuine convictions, we will be motivated to discipline ourselves for the purpose of remaining aligned with those convictions.




Setting Priorities and Making Choices




Just as moral standards begin with our thinking, discipline begins with our mind. Being disciplined involves setting priorities for yourself that determine your choices and direct your behavior. Two dictionary definitions for discipline are “a rule or system of rules governing conduct or activity,” or “orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of behavior.” When you have a “rule” that governs your activity, or when you have “prescribed” conduct for yourself, it means that you previously made some choices that you have determined will guide your activities and behavior.




Priorities are the key to effective decision-making. You must identify priorities in relation to achieving your vision and establishing the principles by which you will conduct your entire life, including how you will spend your time and money. Prioritizing places useful limits on your decisions— limits that will enable you to become the leader you were meant to be. You first determine what is beneficial for you, and then you order your life in ways that train and prepare you, and provide for the fulfillment of your purpose.