Character, like muscle, must be developed. The real test for character is not creed or conduct . . . [but] a man’s motives. (Halverson, late United States Senate chaplain)
For a fitness buff, the proof of his strength is not in his exercises and workouts; it is demonstrated in the post-exercise experiences of life. As Halverson says, it’s the same for character. Life experiences and our responses to them demonstrate how strong our character has become. Those tests show why we’ve developed integrity, and it’s not just for show.
[When] the Lord comes [,] He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart (1 Corinthians 4:5).