The Lodestar

Human personalities are as diverse as the snacks on the bakery shelves. Though some snacks have hard crusts, they have soft cores. Some are hard inside, though they look soft outside. Yet there are things hard inside and outside.

As Paul describes in Ephesians, born-again people committed to emulating Christ have no option: their crust and core must be as soft as Christ's own.

There are many facets to a Christ-like personality: humble, gentle, patient, and so on.

Humility allows the possibility that there are brighter, stronger, and better people than us in this world, though we may not have met them yet. Since humble people are eager to meet their pair in every individual they meet, their attitudes and dealings are soaked in humility.

Gentleness is not weakness. Aristotle defined it as the human character's ability to restrain power and use it wisely. Only strong people, confident in themselves, could be gentle. Though they can silence those who slander and defeat those who attack them, they restrain themselves and deal with their enemies gently. Gentleness is not limited to interpersonal relations but extends to aspects of life, including facing adversities—to keep oneself calm and cool.

Patience means allowing people to make mistakes, not insisting that they behave the way we expect. People learn from their mistakes, though it may take just one mistake for some and a few more for others. However, allowing others a large margin is required.

When all these virtues and many other aspects of the Holy Spirit, as scripture details elsewhere, are in place, a soft spirituality in the core and crust develops.

Let us examine the crust and core of our personalities. Are we reflecting Christ's gentleness, humility, and patience in every layer of our lives? May we invite the Holy Spirit to soften us within and without, shaping us into true reflections of our Lord. Begin today — let your character speak of Christ.