Perseverance: The Key For Character Development

Romans 5:3. Paul is full of crazy (humanly speaking) concepts, like this one: Tribulation produces perseverance. Even if this concept sounds crazy, if we think for a moment, we will reach the following conclusion: All the major inventions came after many trials and failures, but as the inventors persevered in building it, they got the final product working properly, and today we benefit from their perseverance. When talking about biblical perseverance, there are some people who stand above the others, e.g.: Noah (about 120 years building the arc in the desert); Abraham (100 years walking by faith); Job (satan struck him with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head), etc. The dictionary defines character as: The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. I would redefine character adding another quality to it: The spiritual, mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. If we consider what Paul wrote in Galatians, when talking about the fruit of the Spirit, we'll realize that those "characteristics" are part of Jesus Christ's character: Galatians 5:22-23. If you read the Gospels, you'll find all of those characteristics being displayed in Jesus' life, E.g.: Peace: John 14:27. As i wrote before, spiritually speaking: You can only give what you have! E.g.: Peace: Luke 10:5-6. Here Jesus sent His disciples (seventy others He appointed besides the Apostles) to practice what He taught them. Jesus is clear that the disciples' peace would rest in that house if there was a son of peace there. Why? Because Jesus gave His peace to His disciples and His disciples should give their peace to others. I would call this: Sharing the blessings. I hope you don't mistaken it with "pay it forward", which some christian churches are doing. It goes far beyond this "to do something good for someone in response to a good deed done on your behalf" concept. I’m not saying that you shouldn't do good deeds, what I’m saying is that you should do something good for others even when others did something bad for you. The world’s concept is "pay it forward", but Jesus’ concept is this: Luke 6:27-36. I know Jesus’ concept is way too radical for the post-modern christianism we have today, that’s why we must go back to the beginning, learn with the Master Jesus Christ how to persevere in trials and tribulations and be inspired by godly people like Job, who persevered to the end: James 5:11.