Wednesday, April 7th, 2010 "Adversity Builds Character"

Tsunami Devotional by Steve Keaton
Wednesday, April 7th, 2010
Title: "Adversity Builds Character"
Text: James 1:2-4 (NIV) ²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

When I was in high school I wrestled. Not the WWE, flying off the top ropes, power-bomb type of wresting. As much as I love Ric Flair, the Four Horsemen and, of course, The American Dream Dusty Rhodes, that just wasn't the kind of wrestling I did. It was the really cool, extra small, wrestling singlet, ultra-awesome head gear wearing kind of wrestling. I must say that in all my years of playing sports, I would consider it, by far, the hardest and most physically and mentally demanding sport ever. Wrestlers are a different breed of athlete. They are a bit quirky and even sometimes superstitious. They spit in cups and wear trash bags under their clothing to cut weight before a match. They are committed to their cause and the team. They make great physical sacrifices and push through some extremely difficult situations. It was both the hardest and the most fun I ever had in sports, and I'm so glad that I chose to be a part of it all.

More than 20 years later I still recall some of the valuable lessons I learned during those years on the Garinger High School Wrestling Team. It is amazing how things one learns so long ago seems to come back so vividly. One memory I have and something I have drawn strength from ever since is one phrase that hung on the wall of that old, tiny, hot and stinky wrestling room. The phrase was crudely painting in white on a royal blue rectangular piece of wood. It read "Adversity Builds Character." That's it. It is a pretty simple statement, and one that makes so much sense. Our team drew a lot of strength from those words. When it seemed as if the odds were too great and there was no way we could persevere in the face of the opposition, we remembered those words. Little did I know that long after my wrestling career would end I would continue to be inspired by the phrase "Adversity Builds Character." Even today, I am continuously spoken to by those 3 powerful words. Through life in general, and even more so through my walk with Christ.

It seems that far too often, those who make a commitment to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, dedicate their lives to service and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, we head out on that journey with a very ignorant mindset. I mean, we are so new at this "Jesus Thing" and we just don't know that we just don't know. So, we step boldly towards the Giant, following the example of young David, and once the Giant begins to shout back at us, we quickly begin to identify with the quivering soldiers who buckled under the pressure, and found it easier to just hide and avoid the adversity that stood before them. But if you stop long enough to just relax, clear your head and think about it, adversity is the force that truly molds us, shapes us, forges us in the fire and makes us into the person we are meant to be. Adversity in the face of opposition is something that is a part of life. As sure as the sun will rise in the east and set in the west, adversity will certainly be present. The question we must answer is simply, how will we respond to it? The world desires us to sit back and not engage the hardships. The Lord strengthens, empowers and enables us to overcome and stand victorious, stronger and better equipped for the journey on the other side. It is never fun, but always meaningful. It is never invited, but always present. It is never prejudice, but always life changing and character building.

How will you respond to the adversity you will experience in your life? What character traits will shine brightly through in the midst of the dark nights? Will you crack under the pressure, fold like a poker player with a horrible hand, fall on the ground pounding your fist and screaming "Why Me?" Or will you withstand the fire, enable Christ to strengthen, change you and use you to inspire others who desperately need to see your example? The choice is totally up to you. But I encourage you to make the phrase yours. Own it. Embrace it. Use it. Because it is so very true. "Adversity Builds Character." Now get on the mat! The world wants a piece of you. Go get them!