When Character Counts

President Bill ClintonCreative Commons License Roger H. Goun via Compfight

Once there was a President who liked to get freaky with one of his interns…

Opinions splitered.

Some said, “It doesn’t matter that he’s fooling around, as long as he does the job of the people.”

Others said, “Character counts!”

Anybody remember this?

Integrity and (good) character build trust. It’s hard to earn, and easily broken. Fragile.

But, character is also not limited to a few actions or experiences, or even mistakes. It’s built through the many words and deeds in the course of years, and eventually a lifetime. It isn’t all-or-nothing. Character is best understood a trackable pattern that holds certain qualities and in-balance weighs out as good and mature or poor and wanting.

It’s not so easy to compartmentalize what areas should be a matter of great importance regarding good character, and what areas can be loosey-goosey. The lie is that you can do whatever you want, and if your intentions are good, than you get a pass.

In general, good character must saturate the whole of a person, even if they may slip up sometimes.

So, when does character count, to you?

Published by

LisaColonDeLay

Lisa Colón DeLay, Puerto Rican, born creator who creates products and resources for spiritual formation. She is the host of Spark My Muse podcast since 2015 and author of The Wild Land Within (2021) and The Way of the Desert Elders (2026)