Character Building

Chapter Four of Beautiful Girlhood by Mabel Hale 

“Let every man take heed how he buildeth.” (I Cor. 3:10)

The most precious earthly treasure a girl can have is character. Her character is what she really is. If she will look beyond what she appears to be, and what people think of her, and look at her heart fairly and honestly, judging herself by the standards of right and wrong to which her own conscience gives sanction, then she can know whether she has a good character. When a girl is misunderstood and misjudged, it is comforting to know that deep in her heart she has been true. But it will rob even her friends’ praises of the real pleasure if, in her heart, she knows she has been untrue.

Character is not given to us; we build it ourselves. Others may furnish the material, may set before us the right standards and ideals, may give us reproof and correction, may guide our actions and mold our thoughts—but after all, we build our own character. It is we, ourselves, who take of the influence about us, copy the ideals, reach the standards, and make ourselves what we are.

Lessons for Life

Life-lessons are so important to me. I love to see examples of timeless truths in daily circumstances, in God's works of creation, from the lips of precious ladies, and especially from the pages of the Bible.

I listened to the last paragraph of Beautiful Girlhood being read as I folded laundry last Saturday evening. It was a bittersweet moment. Beautiful Girlhood was one of the most wisdom-rich books I have ever experienced. Yet I felt there was so much more that could be said, such depths of wisdom that I still needed to hear and apply. As Proverbs tells us, "The words of a man's mouth are as deep waters." There is so much sweet, refreshing water in this book, and I feel that my bucket is far too small to bring up all that I want from it. I am more convinced than ever to share the entire volume on my blog, for I see how desperately young ladies today need to hear its timeless message, calling us to be all we can be as Godly ladies by God's grace.

Ladies, do you not see what a noble calling God has given to us? Why is God's standard for marriage and motherhood so despised? How did it happen? I feel like weeping as I see what has our enemy has accomplished in so short a time! One of God's best gifts has been turned into a curse, a burden, a hindrance to fulfillment and happiness, when that priceless gift is the surest source of satisfaction we can ever have. Satan is so good at what he does, and his best tools are those we possess ourselves: selfishness and conceited ideas shaped by society.

We are not going to find God's plan for us in the world.  God's plan is not popular; it is viewed as old-dated and confining to the abilities and rights of women. To hear people talk, God's plan is wrong! But God says, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isa. 5:20) The truth is, real freedom and fulfillment as a woman can only be found as we follow God's perfect plan for us. It has been hidden beneath the trash-heap of feminist ideas. We must seek God's wisdom out diligently or we will not find it.