Who do you put your trust in?  What are the criteria you use to choose people you look to for advice and guidance.  When you put confidence in someone or count on the information someone gives you, how have they earned that position of honor in your life?  Because of situations in my youth where I witnessed and was influenced by mind control, I have been a very guarded as to who I allow influence in my life.  Basically, I want to decide my positions and core values based on God’s word and my personal relationship with Him.  I must be able to trust and believe the words from someone or I cannot give them the validation in allowing them influence in my decisions.

How do I determine the character of a person?  Let’s begin with the definition of character.  Character is defined as:

1. a set of qualities that make a place or thing different from other places or things
2. the way someone thinks, feels and behaves
3. the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.

Now that we have defined character, what are characteristics that can help us to determine the character of a person.

1)Integrity:  the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, moral uprightness, honesty and honor

2) Consistency: a pattern of sticking with one way of thinking or acting

3) Credibility:  the quality or power of inspiring belief; the quality of being believable or worthy of trust

“Nearly all men can stand adversity but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”  Abraham Lincoln

I don’t have a set checklist, but overall these are a start to measure the amount of influence or persuasion they should have in my thought process.  When I make decisions I want to trust the information and a person with character proven by the presence of integrity, consistency and credibility is worthy of me opening my mind to their influence.

“Thus by their fruit you will know them.”    Matthew 7:16

On the question of  consistency, this doesn’t mean there can never be a change of opinion, however youthful indiscretions (younger that 25) should probably be given less value when measuring consistency, but usually look to all aspects including a sordid past that has a basis in core moral values.

If you allow someone to influence you and you are told or asked to go against your fundamental core moral values that person is using persuasion in a controlling way and you should guard against them changing your character.

I recently heard on television or social media that you must know where you stand and what you stand for BEFORE confronted with adversity.  For me that begins with Bible study and prayer.

In the past few years I have tried to give information in the realm of politics through my blog and FB.  I believe that an informed voter is far better than a voter who relies on celebrities, news anchors and their social cliques for knowledge of the issues and candidates.  On the other hand, I would NEVER try to force anyone to think like me or demand they believe like I do.  With the experience of living in a home with an evil man who used a form of mind control through fear and religion, I have no desire to push anyone into believing anything just because I do.

If you look to my blog for information, then I ask that you use the qualities I listed above to determine if I deserve to be considered.  Am I trustworthy exhibited through integrity?  Am I honest and have my principles changed over and over?  Have I been consistent?  Have I focused on the same issues and checklist through each election for the past few years?  If these questions are answered positively, then by all means I invite you to read what I write and then do your own research and pray and then go out and vote.

The criteria we have listed in this blog would be a great way to evaluate anyone that you would give a place of importance in your life, such as, friends, spouse, pastor or president.

There are many other traits that could be used for a test of character, but without integrity there is no trust in the goodness of the character.

     Character is much easier to keep than recover.    Thomas Paine

TAKE A STAND for what you know to be moral and Godly and you will have strong character.