(character vs. personality)

Statistics show that suicide is the second leading cause of death in ages 10 to 24 and the third leading cause for ages 12 to 18.  Addiction is another cause of juvenile delinquency and incarceration.  These age brackets are experiencing identity crisis due to lack of self esteem and sense of belonging altogether along with keeping up in academics.  Adolescence is the climax of our zealousness for approval, we are in thirst for recognition.  Aside from DNA we are identified as to the product of how much love and affirmation we receive from our family. The character and personality we develop as a result of our upbringing.

The difference between character and personality is that character is the inner foundation, which involves our core values, whereas personality is simply the outward manifestation of our emotions affecting our behavior and preferences. When these two are in conflict or if the character is not built on a strong foundation, we become vulnerable to making unwise decisions. We let emotions define the peace that our soul yearns for. Sadly, emotions are unstable as it only sees with our natural senses, which is temporal while the soul thirsts for eternity. Emotions do not have the ability to discern eternity and the purpose of man.

Man being a composite of three distinct components, which is the body, soul, and spirit, deep calls out to pursue the ultimate source of abundant supply of love and affirmation. The Word says we have a greater being inside of us that ought to be feared by evil who will try to snatch us away from the noble path God has determined for us.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
Psalm 139:13-14

God being our Creator has the abundant supply of love and we have direct access to Him through Jesus Christ. He has the blueprint of our purpose in life. When we come to Him as we are, all He sees is our potential not our predicament. He sees our purpose not our deficiency. He sees our victory not our failures.  When He called us to be, it was part of His plan to create within us a strong character that is far more reliable than emotional indicators.  Even the prophets in the Bible were not fit and popular before God called them to service.  Some of them even wondered why God chose them while the real question is “Who do you belong to?”

“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our life, is revealed,
then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
” Colossians 3:3-4

Just as Christ’s identity was only revealed to those whom the Father has chosen, only God has the full image of our design. Only He can draw that purpose out of us. Only if we look in His eyes will we see the glory that we have been given through the sacrifice of the One who found us worth dying for. We become the person in the eyes of who we look through and if we redirect our focus on the truth, it shall manifest.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.
For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,
and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2