Character

Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are, to some extent, a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it, piece by piece -- by thought, choice, courage, and determination.
- H. Jackson Brown

There is a character assessment that each PEP brother has to go through in order to graduate from the program. When I listened to C. Rohr talk about it, I wondered how many of us would be willing to go through the "torture" and how many of us would pass.

So what does this assessment look like? Well, first they study character traits - what makes good/bad character. Then they are given the opportunity to evaluate each other and they use three words describing each others character. After that is completed and all the feedback is compiled, each individual is approached with the results and ways they can improve.

The same assessment is applied throughout the "semester" and the final one, from what I understand, is the most brutal. Everyone sits in a circle and listens to everyone elses feedback. So if you have great feedback then no sweat. But, can you imagine if your peers say that you are a jerk, a liar, a manipulator, selfish...and until you can address these problems and be willing to change this then you cannot continue??!!

I wonder what would happen if we applied this in our work place, in our church, in our families...DANG GINA!! This is accountability at it's finest - in my opinion. Personally, I think we let a lot of things slide and as a result we are a hurting society.

I wonder, would I pass? I know that my behavior with my younger brother, on the VERY day that I heard the details of these assessments, was embarrassing. I would never EVER let you see that ugly side of me.

It was definitely a heart check for me.

Remember to have a teachable spirit. You're never finished learning...growing...refining your character.

...encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
-Hebrews 3:13