character

I just love the comic strips in the newspaper. My all time favorite comic strip is Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin is always getting himself in trouble, or going on adventures with his friend and stuffed tiger Hobbes.

I have many favorite strips throughout the life of this strip. One of those favorite is the character building times in Calvin's life. Calvin complains about doing work and his dad always says it builds character.

There is one such moment, however, when Calvin and his family are going on a camping trip and Calvin starts sharing his thoughts while his dad rows them in a canoe toward an island they will be staying on. Calvin says, "Remember last year, when it rained all week? It poured so hard we couldn't even make a fire. Without question, that was one of the worst experiences of my life." Calvin's dad says, "Yes, but it built character." And Calvin said, "Why can't I ever build character in a Miami condo or a casino somewhere?"

Building character is not an easy thing. 

We have to go through many hardships in our lives to build character.  This is especially true in the Christian life.  Hardship can only build a Christlike character.  If we were to get the wish of Calvin throughout our lifetime, the luxury would not build character, but rather an independent life. We should rely on Christ through the hardships and sufferings.

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Romans 5:1-4