WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get

I remember the term WYSIWYG ("wizzy-wig") from my (ancient) computer class days. What you see is what you get. When I remember that old terminology, I think you should always be deep down what you are on the surface of what people are getting. If they don't like what they see, at least you're not misrepresenting. I think WYSIWYG is a good description of what character should be. It's been said by someone I can't recall that, "Reputation is who people think you are. Character is who you are when no one else is looking." I would only change it to say, "when no one else but God is looking."

I would never cop to being perfect, but I'll say that I'm always consistently exactly who I am 24/7. I have to be unapologetically who I am because I don't know any other way to be. I grew up pretty much alone so I never had to conform to societal pressures like some of my peers. I always did my own thing and I still do.

Character building begins in the heart. Proverbs 23: 7 talks about misrepresentation. It says, "for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. "Eat and drink," he says to you, but his heart is not with you." It guides our actions. As Christians, our character should be shaped into the likeness of Christ because he came to earth to serve as our example. A few years back, young people were wearing the "WWJD" - what-would-Jesus-do bands around their wrists. Some people scorned them, I suppose, because they considered them irreverent. I didn't. I thought they were a great way to ping the conscience and remind folks of Christ's character and how they should imitate him.

Yes, we're all mere mortals and we sin; but we can pick ourselves right back up and carry on in a corrected path. We can make character adustments, as it were. We never achieve sinless perfection; but we can still CHOOSE to conduct ourselves in a right manner, even though we've failed in performance in the past. Apostle Paul owned his shortcomings, but he didn't let himself get bogged down with his past once he repented of it. He sought to advance in a more positive direction (Phil 3: 12-14).

I've had to make character adjustments through the years. While I've always been consistently who I really am, I've had to realign myself with Christ's teachings. I think of that old John Anderson song where he sings, "I'm just an old chunk of coal, but I'll be a diamond someday." Sermons and people stepped on my toes to get me to move, but as the old saying goes, "The hit dog is the one that yelps." I'm glad they made me yelp.

Love Ya,
God Bless!