A WORD TO THE WISE: Proverbs 27: 19 "Passing of Your Character"

Proverbs 27: 19     As in water face reflects face, so a man’s heart reveals the man.

Proverbs 27: 19.  On yesterday I had my character passed. 

Now, for those of you not familiar with the particular administrative working of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, let me explain.

Every year in the CME Church, the pastors in the various regions across the globe come together and stand before their bishop, fellow pastors, and non-clergy delegates representing all the churches in their respective regions.  We pastors have to stand before God and them and one-by-one give a public “account of our labors in the last year.”   We answer a set of questions about our ministries, the state of our churches, and our progress within the church’s overall mission statement.

Question #13 (Interesting coincidence, huh?) is, “Are all the preachers blameless in their lives and official administration?”  

When that question comes up the Bishop calls your name, and in front of God and everybody asks, “Is there anything against Rev. Graves?” 

Dude, yeah.  She actually said “any thing.”

I could have protested, “Who are you to judge me?”

The answer from Bishop Teresa Snorton would have been, “I’m the bishop.”

We can complain all we want about critics and haters and hypocrites and how unjust and judgmental people are, but here’s the reality of my life and yours:  We will be judged. 

People will pass judgment on our character every doggone day.   In reality, as uncomfortable as it makes us, many of them---bosses, bishops, spouses, children, people we pastor---- have a legitimate interest in understanding what kind of fool they’re dealing with.

When the bishop asked the question of my character, I thought about a bunch of things that I should have included in the report of my ministry in the last year.  I’d forgotten the technology training I took, and I didn’t mention our church’s decision to show grace through radical hospitality. 

In other words, my character was being questioned without all of the relevant details of my history.  But that’s just the way it is. 

When other human beings judge you (legitimately or not), they’re probably judging your history, not actually your character. 

History is what you did.  Character is who you are.  And the difference is crucial.  See, God has used the bad I did back in the day to make me a much better man right now.  A person can take the good accomplished in the past and use it to fuel all kinds of evil and stupidity in the present. 

History affects character, but history doesn’t define character.

Before asking question #13, Bishop Snorton told all of us pastors to “First consider yourselves.”  Her full statement basically advised any pastor who knew that his/her character in the last year was wrong to put himself/herself in check so she didn’t have to. (At least that’s how I took it.)

You know all the details of your history and the whole truth of your character.  So, the greatest injustice isn’t when you think someone else has judged (or even misjudged) your character.  The greatest offense is when you misjudge yourself.

Even if your public history is full of damning details, you know --- you know if Jesus has cleansed your heart of all that garbage and you’re not that person anymore. 

If so, “Your character is passed.”

1 John 3: 21     Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God.

Even if you’ve moved through life in a way that has created a commendable publicly history, you know if your heart is actually full of hate, jealousy, filth, or unforgiveness.  You know if/that you’re really a horrible person but you’re too scared or too sane to do the dirt you want to.

If that’s the case, “Your character does not pass.”

No matter what you make everybody else believe about you, you know if you have some issues that you need to deal with.  And think: If you see that much against your character (not just your history), how much more does God see.

1 John 3:  20     For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.

At the Conference, Bishop Snorton looked at me and asked, “Is there anything against Rev. Graves?”  There was a moment, just a beat, but it seemed like a loooooong moment before an Elder replied, “Nothing against him, Bishop.”

The bishop looked right in my eyes and said, “Rev. Graves, your character is passed.”

Find a mirror, take a hard look at yourself, and ask the questions you need to ask.  Don’t be quick to condemn yourself, and don’t be quick to absolve yourself either. 

Pause and consider your heart, your character. 

If your character passes, move on and let the judges judge based on whatever reports they receive. 

Whatever. 

You know who you are and Whose you are.

But, if your heart can’t pass your own character, remember that God is greater than your heart.  He knows how to create in you a clean heart and how to renew a right spirit within you. 

Let Him.
----- Anderson T. Graves II

Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is the pastor of Hall Memorial CME Church
Call/ fax: 334-288-0577
Email us at hallmemorialcme1@aol.com
Friend Pastor Graves at www.facebook.com/rev.a.t.graves

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Hall Memorial CME Church
541 Seibles Rd.,
Montgomery, AL 36116