Someone has described true character as "what you are when no one is looking, in the secret chambers of the heart."
A scorpion, being a very poor swimmer, asked a turtle to carry him on his back across a river. "Are you mad?" exclaimed the turtle, "You'll sting me while I'm swimming and I'll drown." "My dear turtle," laughed the scorpion, "If I were to sting you, you would drown and I would go down with you. Now where is the logic in that?" "You're right!" cried the turtle. "Hop on!" The scorpion climbed aboard and halfway across the river gave the turtle a mighty sting. As they both sank to the bottom, the turtle resignedly said, "Do you mind if I ask you something? You said there'd be no logic in stinging me. Why did you do it? "It has nothing to do with logic," the drowning scorpion sadly replied. "It's just my character."
And then there is the story of a prosperous young Wall Street broker who met and fell in love with a rising young actress of gentility and dignity. He frequently escorted her about town and wanted to marry her. But being a cautious man, he decided that before proposing marriage he should have a private investigating agency check her background and present activities. After all, he reminded himself, I have both a growing fortune and my reputation to protect against a marital misadventure.
The young man requested that the agency was not to reveal his identity to the investigator making the report on the actress. In due time the investigator's report came back. It said the actress had an unblemished past, a spotless reputation, and her friends and associates were of the best repute. The report concluded, "The only shadow is that she is often seen around town in the company of a young broker of dubious business practices and principles."
Someone else has said "Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip."
We would love to introduce you to someone who not only has a perfect character, but who is willing to impart His character to us.
Pastor John Giesbrecht
