Great Character Traits
Great Character Traits
Great character traits, exercised consistently, conscientiously, and properly, produce an individual of imposing worth. Imagine the joy of working under such a leader. Picture the harmony in a family led by such a man or woman. As a teacher, think of the many benefits you would reap in a classroom of students who manifested great character traits! What do I mean by great character traits?
Great character traits are absolute values that garner absolute results in terms of turning our society from the squalor of immorality to moral luxury.
Which Are They?
Choosing great character traits can be difficult. Read over a complete list and I think you will agree that not one moral value can be termed lowly and unimportant. All sixty-six qualify as great character traits. What happens, though, when you ask someone to list what they consider to be great character traits? What if you tried it where you work?
Many people are likely to lead off with respect and responsibility. They might rush to add integrity and trustworthiness, too, but then what?
Punctuality, diligence, and thoroughness are great character traits to have, aren’t they? Think what a difference they make in work, whether we punch time-cards or spend our days at home. Most employers long for more evidence of those three qualities among their employees! Parents long to see children exercise those three, too.
Compassion, commitment, and cooperation are three more wonderful moral values. The exercise of compassion alleviates suffering of many kinds whenever it is applied. It creates a more humane society. Commitment, that old-fashioned quality that made a man’s word his bond, is invaluable! As for cooperation, which of us would not like to be on the receiving end of that more often?
Self-control helps you and me exercise power over our tongues so that we don’t gossip or use hurtful words to another person. It helps you and me exercise power over our anger, our appetites, and every facet of our beings. It surely qualifies as a magnificent moral value.
You see, it isn’t easy to choose one quality over another. When we have sixty-six from which to choose, we may find it difficult to narrow it down to as few as thirty. Suppose we do, though. Suppose we sort through all of the high moral values we might build into our lives and come up with thirty that we consider more wonderful than the rest. Then we have another decision to make.
The Greatest of All
Which is the greatest of the many moral qualities we can build into our lives?
First let me acknowledge the runners-up: courage of convictions, faith, gentleness, goodness, joy, long suffering, meekness, peace, and temperance. All of those are among the top ten great character traits.
The greatest of great character traits is, however, love. If I exercise love toward another person, I will always do what is best for that other person, even if it requires personal sacrifice on my part. I don’t have to like someone to exercise love. I don’t have to have warm, fuzzy feelings or be romantically drawn to that person. I simply have to do what is best for him or her.
We can exercise responsibility and respect with all our might, but they are meaningless if we do not exercise love with them. We can have the courage of our convictions, show compassion to people, and exercise all-out commitment, but they don’t work unless we link them with love.
Love is the greatest of all great character traits.
Conclusion
Great character traits abound. Each is splendid with potential. It’s up to us – you and me – to study these qualities, build them into our lives, and exercise them to their fullest potential. If just one out of ten people did that, the positive change in society would be electrifying.
© 2010, Elizabeth L Hamilton. Elizabeth invites you to read clear definitions of each moral quality at http://www.character-in-action.com. Elizabeth has posted many articles about high moral values there, too. You will find a complete list of great character traits for your further study.
