Everywhere you look these days character is exposed, and usually it’s not a pretty sight! Professional athletes and referees are accused of illegal drug use, prohibited sports gambling, and even game fixing. In politics, it seems to be a regular occurrence that an officeholder is accused of conduct inappropriate to their office, such as taking illegal campaign contributions or misusing their office powers to enrich themselves and their friends. Even in bodybuilding, scandals are somewhat regular, with illegal steroid and growth hormone use near the top of the list.

But, in amateur fitness competitions, such as the Body for Life contest, does character really matter? Of course it does! It matters in many ways.

To the corporate sponsor of this competition, character of its contestants is critical, and that is the reason that some of the scoring of a transformation kit is based on the essay, so that the judges can assess the person’s character and fitness and suitability to be an endorser of products for the EAS/Abbott Nutrition line of products.

So, what do we really mean by good character? What did Porter Freeman mean when he said he looked in the mirror the day he started the challenge, didn’t like what he saw, and said to himself, “I have more character than that?”

One of the simplest definitions of character is “what you do when nobody is looking.” The Bible talks about a man of character as someone who keeps his word, “even when it hurts.” There’s another place that you’ll find a great outline of what character is all about. Probably nowhere are the elements of good character expressed better in terms of actions than in the book, “The Four Agreements.” They say: 1. Be impeccable in your word; 2. Don’t take anything personally; 3. Don’t make assumptions; and, 4. Always do your best. These are perfectly expressed “rules of the road” for succeeding in interpersonal relationships while maintaining at all times good character and behavior that will benefit everyone.

What do these principles have to do with BFL? Only this. To the extent that any of your “problems” in succeeding in this program, getting in your workouts, sticking with the diet, and finishing victoriously have something to do with how you perceive you are treated or mistreated by another, these four agreements will be the map to your way out of your weakened condition. And to the extent that you are able to adhere to these agreements and bring your behavior into line with them, it will reveal much about your character to those around you, and maybe even to the contest judges.

In the end, whether you become a named champion or not, these principles will sustain you through a competition so stressful and tough that many have been shipwrecked on the rocks of self-pity and mediocrity.

FEAR–GRADUATION DAY!

Well, this is payoff day–the day that we finish up with fear. Today is the closing ceremony, where we’ll talk about how to replace fear and maintain a life of freedom from fear.

Once you rid yourself of your fears by doing what we talked about yesterday, you MUST intentionally replace them with something. If you don’t, something will end up replacing it anyway. Nature abhors a vacuum, and an empty human spirit will be filled with something, one way or another. If you don’t take positive action, the fear might be replaced by some addiction or obsession, by lust or greed, or even by more fear. So, the key is to replace it with something good, not bad.

I’m sure you’ve heard that perfect faith drives out fear. It does, and faith in a higher power will certainly provide a foundation for a fear-free life. But mere faith, without more, can sometimes end up more like wishful thinking than spiritual strength. So, let’s make this “active faith.” What is the one thing that most people who possess faith, who believe that they are created, valuable beings have in common? A love for one another, and a desire to help one another. So, my project for replacing fear with active faith is a very simple one–love in action!

Love in action—in the transformation  world–is also called the universal law of reciprocation. Simply put, you should regularly, at least once a week, do something good for someone who cannot pay you back, and do it without getting caught. Use your imagination–slip money into a jacket pocket, or leave it on someone’s door. Send a gift certificate for a restaurant anonymously. Pay for someone’s way at a function that they can’t afford to go to otherwise. Pray for opportunities to do things for people–they will come along. If you still have some forgiving or amends to make for your past fear-driven behavior, think about how you might right some of those wrongs anonymously. Just don’t get caught, unless a direct apology is in order, of course,

Until you’ve experienced it, you cannot imagine the intense joy that comes from doing something anonymously that truly benefits another. That joy produces something else over time. Hope. Because God truly rewards those who help others for the right reason. It helps you to expectantly look forward to seeing who and what God will bring into your life as your next project, and it helps you to see with confidence that every single need you have is being taken care of–and all without you having to worry about it! In due time, you will look back over all this and not only wonder what ever happen to that old fear-driven you, but also wonder what happened to all the problems that caused those fears!

Does this all sound too extravagant to you? It will take place in your life if you just take the steps of faith to do it.
Staying rid of fear by replacing it is really a life long project. It is very much like staying physically fit. Use it or lose it applies here! Exercise those faith muscles this weekend by attending your favorite house of worship and asking God to help you make sense of all this.

Above all else, don’t ever give up again. Don’t let fear win even one small battle. Face it; admit it; get rid of it, and don’t let it live rent free in your head ever again! Fight for your freedom from fear!

God Bless!