In 1882 Oscar Wilde came to visit the United States. As he came through customs, he was asked what, if anything, he had to declare. He said that he had only his genius. A decade and a half later, alone and imprisoned, he wrote the following words:
“I have been a spendthrift of my genius….I forgot that every little action of the common day makes or unmakes character.”
On October 3rd, I will have the privilege of serving the ladies at Sunrise Baptist Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia at their annual ladies event and the Lord has me preparing two messages that are my hallmark messages. They examine the legacy that we leave behind. In the message entitled, Legacy, I encourage the ladies to examine three areas of their lives as they relate to the legacy that they are creating and leaving for future generations. One very important part of our legacy is our character.
What about your character? Who are you when you think no one is looking?
- Are you deliberate about the choices you make each and every day?
- Are you honest? Always? Do you give an honest day of work for an
honest day of pay? How often have you taken pens or notepads home from work or spent excessive amounts of time talking on the phone or texting while at work? It is stealing from your employer.
- Do you gossip? Many Christians mask gossip as prayer requests. What is your first instinct when you hear a piece of juicy news? Share it with someone or pray about it??
- Do you lie? A huge percentage of Americans admit to lying on a regular basis. I believe most of us lie frequently and don’t think a thing about it.
- How often do you talk about another person behind their back? We women are VERY bad about this and honestly, this is something that the Lord and I are working on in my own life.
- Are you true to your word? If you say you will do something, do you do everything in your power to keep your promise? A man’s (or woman’s)word was their honor 50 years ago. Is that still the case?
Think about it, friends. Who are you when you believe no one is looking?
If you are going to be in the Atlanta area on October 3rd, I would love for you to join us at Sunrise Baptist Church in Lawrenceville. You can get more information or purchase a ticket by calling the church at 770-963-7271 or go to http://www.sunrisebaptist.com/.
