Character, Choices, Courage and Compassion

Character, Choices, Courage and Compassion ~ Four things that define who we are.

Ruth and Proverbs talks about being women and wives of noble character. (Ruth 3:11, Proverbs 12:4, 31:10) A woman of excellence. The word in the original Hebrew is chayil and it is actually a masculine noun. It means to be strong, mighty and efficient, even valiant as in a warrior, a Princess Warrior, as we discussed yesterday. The root word chuwl has several meanings one of which is to wait as when Noah waited another 7 days to send out the dove again. It also means to twist, to turn or to dance. Excellence takes time to develop in our lives, it is not an overnight thing. You might say there can be many "twists or turns" in our lives that develop our character, like a good novel, and then there is the second part of the definition - to dance.

In one congregation I was apart of we learned Hebraic dance to praise our Father. I have to say that that is probably one of the most expressive ways, besides sign language, that I have used to praise the Father. Often we would practice the dance or take classes, why? To improve our technique, to learn the moves, to produce excellence.

How does excellence, or excellent character, develop? Romans 5:4-5 tells us this, "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure (it makes us patient, teaches us perseverance) and perseverance produces character; and character, hope." We prove ourselves, our character (a specimen of tried worth) by the choices we make, the courage we show and the compassion we give to others. It is about looking out to see how you can add to someone's life in word or deed ~ taking the focus off "me, myself and I" and putting it on those around us and those we come in contact with.

Today (and everyday) seek to be a Woman of Excellence, God's Princess Warrior with character, choices, courage and compassion that our Father, the King, can look to and say "well done". Today praise Him, perhaps in a dance ... pray and ask Him to guide your choices, to finish the work He has started into developing you into a Woman of Excellence.