Behind every great nation or institution is one or more men of strong CHARACTER.
Here are vital "keys" found in these men of character — keys that will make
possible SUCCESS and LEADERSHIP for those that possess and use them!
COUNTLESS men of ability, intelligence, personality and training have failed to achieve success.
Why?
Time, chance, circumstance, and "bad breaks" are often assumed to be the cause. But they are not the real answers. The heart of the problem is LACK OF CHARACTER!
Cause of Tragedies
You have heard of the rising young executive who begins hitting the bottle and completely shatters a promising business career almost in its infancy. You've heard about the "happy" family and civic leader who suddenly loses everything through a clandestine affair with a woman young enough to be his own daughter.
And the junior executive who suddenly jumps the tracks, begins embezzling company or bank funds, gets caught and ends up in OBLIVION or perhaps a suicide. These human tragedies failed to keep their eyes on the goal.
What is Your GOAL?
Any intelligent, thinking person wants to be a SUCCESS — perhaps a leader in his chosen field. Yet most people have not known how. Perhaps you were taught that, when it comes to religion, you sort of get your mind out of gear, think sentimental thoughts and hope to "get saved" through some emotional experience and "roll around heaven all day." Maybe you were taught that there is nothing to do. Nothing to accomplish, nowhere else to go except sit around in heaven, listen to harp music and perhaps gaze on the face of the Lord.
Nonsense!
The God of your Bible says true Christians are training to be LEADERS in the World Tomorrow! We are training to help RULE this earth with and under Jesus Christ and to help straighten things out!
Jesus said to His apostles: "I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my father bath appointed unto me; that ye may . . . sit on thrones judging [RULING] the twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke 22:29-30).
In the little-understood parable of the pounds, Jesus showed that those who "overcome" the most — using his strengths and abilities and yielding them to God — will be given RULERSHIP. For God will tell him: "Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities" (Luke 19:17). The other man who grew and developed spiritually and used his physical talents as well in the right way was given authority over five cities since he did overcome only half as much.
Jesus foretold good news: "He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron. . ." (Rev. 2:26-27; see also Rev. 5:10)
The man who "overcomes," who disciplines himself and develops character, is the one whom God will use as an instrument under Christ to help rule the earth in the world tomorrow. God can always add mental ability and strength. But character cannot be manufactured or artificially produced — it is something we must willingly develop now as free moral agents under God.
Here, then, are SEVEN KEYS to building the character of the kind of RULER God will bless and use — the character of a KING.
I. Humility and the Fear of GOD
Remember King Farouk? He was the ruler of Egypt a few years ago. He had ability and personality — but very little character. He began a wild spree through the nightclubs of Europe and the Middle East. He overindulged. He let things go at home — indulging his "court favorites" with certain lavish gifts and opportunities but misusing the resources of the nation in so doing. The people had liked his personality and ability. But not the lack of character. Farouk was overthrown in a familiar Middle Eastern "coup." An interim government came into power — evolving into the present Egyptian Government under Gamal Abdel Nasser.
A current example is the deposing of Premier Sukarno in Indonesia. Although working hard and fighting valiantly in the revolution just after the second World War, Sukarno soon went soft and began the familiar merry-go-round of wine, women and song. His indulgences blinded his eyes to many realities of political life. And now he, too, has been overthrown — the government currently in the hands of General Suharto of the armed forces.
Both of these fallen rulers were noted for their swagger and vanity when they were in power. They preened and strutted. They lacked real humility, or any fear of the true God of the Bible!
To have a lasting and prosperous reign, any king, ruler or leader MUST learn the lesson of humility. Your Bible says: "When pride cometh, then cometh shame" (Prov. 11:2).
Again, "Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18).
By contrast, God's Word says: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of WISDOM" (Prov. 9:10). A man who comes to have a deep awe and respect for his Creator is just "beginning" to acquire the basis for real wise and understanding decisions. For he will be basing all of his plans and programs on the ultimate REALITY! This entire mixed-up world is soon going to learn that lesson!
To know the true GOD of Creation, the God of the Bible, is the basis for all right thinking and judgment. It will help keep you properly HUMBLE. It will make you realize that you are just a little ant on a ball out in space we call the earth. You will quit playing "God" and wake up to reality.
Think of Yourself as a Servant
Jesus Christ said: "Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" (Matt. 23:12). Jesus showed that one who surrenders his will to God, who humbles the self and thinks only of being a servant of God and fellowman — that man will be blessed, used as an instrument in the hands of his Creator, and empowered ultimately with eternal life and a spirit body. This is getting into deep water, perhaps, for some of you new readers. But if you would like to follow through on this, write immediately for our free and challenging booklet, Why Were You Born?
The apostle Paul wrote: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, [or, 'emptied himself'], and took upon himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2:5-7).
Too few understand this tremendous example of the willingness of Jesus Christ to "empty himself" of His divine power and glory in order to die for humanity. Very soon now, ALL THE EARTH will come to grasp and understand that because of this willingness to GIVE of Himself — to HUMBLE Himself — Jesus has qualified not only as our High Priest but as the KING OF KINGS and RULER over all nations!
This is the very basis of the character the true GOD demands of every leader and king! Even in this present man-made society, this living spiritual principle operates. Those who yield to excess pride and vanity soon "fall" into utter oblivion and disgrace. Those who resist the temptation come out on top.
II. GOD'S Standard of Right and Wrong
Several years ago, McCall's magazine ran a very interesting and very important article showing WHY American prisoners of war in the Korean War often became "turncoats." Many turned against their own fellow prisoners or just "gave up" and died through lack of the will to live. It was an article which went to the very ROOT CORE of American society and its foundations.
This article brought out the fact that the Army Intelligence, in reviewing these cases, pointed up the vital necessity of CHARACTER TRAINING in the home and in the school.
A high army official stated: "Because of this the army would like to see every American parent, teacher and clergyman work to give our children . . . a firm regard for RIGHT and an abiding distaste for WRONG." He continued: "By the time a young man enters the army he should possess a set of sound moral values and the strength of CHARACTER to live by them" (emphasis ours).
But what constitutes "right"? What do we mean by "wrong"?
The answers to these questions present a gigantic PROBLEM to American society — indeed to all the world! Modern, "progressive" educators, psychologists and even clergymen say there are no absolute values. They teach that all truth is relative, that God may, in fad, be "dead"!
Even the Communists can sense our lack of spiritual principles and dedication to a common ideal! Notice this startling revelation from the Red Chinese Chief of Intelligence regarding Americans captured during the Korean War: "The American soldier has weak loyalty to his family, his community, his country, his religion and to his fellow soldier. His concepts of right and wrong are HAZY. Opportunism is easy for him. He himself feels frightened and INSECURE . . . He fails to appreciate the meaning of, and the necessity for, any form of DISCIPLINE."
Although this comes from Godless Communists, are we willing to stare this looking glass right in the face and ADMIT the truth about our materialistic, confused Western society?
Don't kid yourself! It is not just the American soldier, but nearly every man in the street in America, in Britain, in this whole Western world, whose concepts of right and wrong are "hazy"! Hazy concepts are virtually no concepts at all! They leave the door wide open for lust and lawlessness.