2014-10-05-Strengtheners of Good Character

Session

Lesson

Teacher Prolotheos: “You are primarily responsible for who and what you are. Early in life – between the ages of 5 and 6 – the human character develops, but only with maturity does it become truly sound. Good and bad influences certainly count, but decisions are the major factor. Character reflects some unique, unchangeable, and innate personality traits, but it also shows some changeable characteristics of the Self, formed through life’s decisions. Personal decisions can make a character good or bad, but good decisions spring from good principles. Honor your good principles, and they will honor you. Let’s take a look at some principles that strengthen a good character.

“Sincerity. Objective truth may many times be out of reach, but sincerity makes you truthful to yourself. Sincerity, unaided by love, is nothing more than a way to throw your ego or temper upon others, regardless of the consequences. Sincerity is to be honest, authentic, truthful with words and actions. Sincerity is a personal moral effort towards truth. Evil is never sincere because truth is incompatible with evil, since it springs from deceit, error and falsehood. Sincerity can be mistaken about content, but must be truthful in its intent – goodness. Hypocrisy will damage your character, but sincerity will make it reliable.

“Fairness. When on Urantia your Master said, ‘You will be judged with the measure you have judged others’ and ‘Treat others as you would like to be treated.’ God is our supreme example of fairness because ‘He is no respecter of persons.’ He perfectly consider all factors involved and renders a perfect judgment. To you, in your present spiritual development, He says, ‘Treat others as you would like to be treated.’ Practicing the Golden Rule strengthens your character with loving consideration of others, because a good and strong character strives for fairness in all dealings to its best knowledge.

“Goodness. Love is basically expressed by goodness. Goodness is the main strength of character, because love never causes harm. Rather, love always seeks the ultimate well-being of the loved ones. To help make your character strong, goodness cannot be seen as an option, it must be your passion. A character built with love refuses to consciously practice evil and always insists on making good. Goodness cannot simply be a strategic move. More than being politically correct, it strives for being divinely good, following the paramount examples of our Creator Son. Goodness is indeed the indispensable ingredient of a ‘good character’.

“Therefore, my pupil, the virtues of a strong character are also the virtues with which the Spirit Within will strengthen and grow your soul. Those are the values that will remain with you throughout your morontia and spiritual careers, even for eternity. Equally important, these values will make your life on Urantia worth living, with a clear conscience of striving for the best and showing it to the best of your ability. They will not make you perfect, only eminently sincere, fair and good – which is what is needed. This is from Prolotheos, your celestial teacher. Peace to you all.”