The Reliable Arch of Character
By Chris Turney
An arch is reliably strong because its apex equally distributes weight to two bases, which form a single, continuous structure. As weight compresses down from above the arch, the foundational bases absorb weight equally.
Similarly, a strong character withstands the pressures and stressors of the world like an arch. As followers of Jesus, we also have two bases upon which to build a pressure-resilient character.
In Mathew 22, a lawyer attempted to test Jesus, asking “What is the greatest commandment?”
Jesus’ answer spoke directly to these foundations for a strong character:
“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22: 35-40)
These two foundational commands form the foundation for a lasting arch of character.
Not only do we know what the foundation should look like, we have a model for how it works in Jesus. When we look through Jesus’s choices and interactions, we experience how he fused the two Greatest Commandments.
“Love God with all your heart, soul, and mind.”
As a child, Jesus thrived in the synagogue. He was comfortable there. In fact, He was so comfortable there that He missed his ride home.
We read in Luke 2:41-52 that His family embarked on their return journey to Nazareth after their annual trip to Jerusalem. After a full day of travel, they realized that their twelve-year-old son was missing. Jesus’ family returned to Jerusalem to find him. After a three-day manhunt, they found Him in the temple.
He was not desperately seeking help to reunite with His earthly family. Instead, He was sitting with the teachers, asking and answering questions.
In other words, we learn that Jesus based his character-arch on intimacy with God — an intimacy that ran deeper than his family ties. He immersed Himself in God’s word, even though it didn’t fit His earthly family’s agenda.
Jesus loved God and the Word of God and that love was evidenced by how he immersed himself in scripture. He not only listened to wise scholars but, at a very early age, knew so much that he was able to educate those scholars. Indeed, He later educated Satan.
In Matthew 4:1-11, we learn that Jesus, after forty days without food, stared down the same Satan that tempted Adam with fruit. This time, Satan offered bread to a weary man. Jesus withstood Satan’s pressure by quoting God’s word, revealing his love, respect, and reliance on God’s way.
Even when Satan upped the ante and offered dominion over the earth, Jesus’ character — built on the love for God and God’s Word — held strong.
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
While resting on His foundational pursuit of God, Jesus’s arch fuses with a base passion for engaging people beyond the Temple. We know this because the gospels are full of accounts of Jesus engaging with people that most religious folks considered sinners or unclean. Indeed, he spent a lot of time with people at the fringes of society.
For example, He engaged with:
A lower-class prostitute who was drawing water from a well (John 4:1-42)
Zaccheus, a chief tax collector known for corruption (Luke 19:1-9)
Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus shortly after Jesus washed his feet (John 13:1-17)
The cross-examining lawyer referenced in Matthew 22:35-40.
He was also revered by the people who were considered unholy or unclean:
A terrifying demon-possessed man approached Jesus and shouted, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?” (Mark 5:1-13).
When a criminal confessed from the cross that he was justly being crucified, Jesus was not short on mercy and grace toward him and said, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43).
He is also patient with those committed to seeking His truth.
For example, consider his interactions with Nicodemus. A member of the Jewish ruling council, Nicodemus approached Jesus in the cover of darkness to dive deeper into the Gospel message. Instead of shunning this Pharisee, Jesus engaged with him, explaining what it means to be born of the Spirit. Jesus did so in a manner that was inviting and compassionate, as reflected by the fact that Nicodemus later defended Jesus (John 7:50-52) and personally placed Jesus’ body into Joseph’s tomb (John 19:38-42).
A model for a strong foundation
In seeking God’s will in all things and inviting the lowliest of humans to commune with Him, Christ’s earthly life becomes a model for a strong character. In fact, if we learn from his life, we can avoid the two (weak) foundations many character arches crumble upon: 1) chasing after personal power and pleasure and 2) seeking the acceptance of the wealthy, powerful, and the “in crowd.”
Instead of building on these weak foundations, we see Jesus seek after God’s will and pursue intimacy with God … and then we see him put that love into action by engaging with people from all facets of society, showing them the love and compassion of God.
Loving God with all your heart, mind, and soul.
Loving your neighbor as yourself.
These are the foundations for a reliable character that will not crumble under the pressures of society, and the temptations of Satan.