Who Are You When You're Alone?

Character Under Construction

Laidlaw quote: “People make the excuse, 'I did it on the spur of the moment'. That is no excuse. 'As a man thinketh so is he.' The true man appears on the spur of the moment... The spur of the moment actions don't make the man, they only reveal him in his true character.”
Robert Laidlaw, 1912 – Man For Our Time by Ian Hunter

We decide to train and discipline ourselves because we have a vision of who we want to be. As Christians that vision should be based on our Saviour, Jesus. The Holy Spirit helps us to think what He thinks, see what He sees and feel what He feels, so that we have that vision.

Who may enter into the Lord's presence?
Those who... “keep their promises even when it hurts”
“such people will stand firm forever”. Ps 15:4,5

Consider some recent heroes:
Todd Beamer on flight UA93 on 11 September 2001 – the famous “Let's roll” before a group of men took on the hijackers. Todd was in a men's small group studying “The Seven Seasons of a Man's Life” by Patrick Morley. His wife Lisa says, “It was the last book Todd would ever work through with the breakfast group, and may have been the most important”. Yes, Todd was in training to be a man of integrity and character. Read more at www.fathers.com.

(By the way, did you know a kiwi was on that flight and helped the group of men thwart the hijackers? Alan Beaver, 48, was originally from Auckland he also died fighting the hijackers. His remains were found in the cockpit and he was on the voice recorder.)

Late last year the US snipers were stopped by a Christian truck driver Ron Lantz who recognised their car and blocked the rest area with his truck. Earlier that week Ron had initiated a roadside prayer meeting about the attacks. Over 50 other truckers turned up to pray. The Washington Post commented “Mr. Lantz offers us a simple but powerful story... Religious character matters.”
Now there is comment that the people who were most active in the rescue after the Bali bombings were Westerners. Could this be due to a Christian worldview that helps others compared to a fatalistic worldview where one can't change things?

You get what you train for:

"If you want to walk closer to God, make positive character choices and help others do the same, then the proven training platform is men's small groups that include accountability. Are you in a group like that?"
John Subritzky

“Men's small groups offer a man the greatest potential for spiritual growth because he chooses to become a member of a team committed to mutual support, self disclosure and honouring Jesus Christ in their relationships.”
Steve Sonderman