Importance of Character Building

Importance of Character Building

If wealth is lost, nothing is lost.

If health is lost, something is lost.

If character is lost, everything is lost.

The old saying is quite relevant today as it was in olden days. It seems that with the changing values of life, it is money and gold, not character, which values with money and gold, not character, which values with people now, but the reality is that the shine of money and riches remains for sometime only and what is everlasting is only the good in man. Greatness does not lie in how much wealth you posses but what type of character  you display in your dealings with other.

A person of strong character is always fearless. He is honest and speaks the truth. He does not need to hide anything from others. He is an open book. Anybody can read it. He is loved and respected by all. He had the moral courage to face all difficulties. He may be poor by appearance but he is rich in thought. No serious disease catches him. He has no mental tension. He is least affected by success and failures of life. he is a balanced person. For him work is worship. He is not greedy for wealth. He likes to share his earnings with those who are poor and helpless. Money is not his dearest possession. He likes to earn the wealth of good – will.

Besides, health and wealth, we need character, which is the most important in the success of life. if you have no character, you can never to happy and successful. If you are dishonest and nobody trusts you, what is the use of you, what is the use of your gold? Goodwill can be stolen but nobody can rob you of goodwill. Money comes and goes, but your character stays with you forever. No theif can walk away with your character.

Kwan Ning and Hwa In were two Chinese scholars of the Wei Dynasty (A.D. – 220- 265). They would work together in the field and sit together in the library.

One day when they were digging together in the field, they found a piece of gold. Kwan Ning took no notice of it and continued to dig; but Hwa In picked it up and gazed at it before he threw it done. Another day when they were studying together in the library and sitting together as usual, there were shouts in the streets that a nobleman riding in a fine carriage was passing by. Kwan Ning took no notice of it; but Hwa in attracted by the splendor, abandoned his study and rushed out to  have a look.

Since this incident, Kwan Ning had a low  opinion of Hwa in and separated his own seat from his, saying to him. “ You are no friend of mine”. Hence the expression” to cut one’s seat”, which means to break one’s relations. It is beat to cut your seat  with had boy and bad girls as early as possible, because the more you stay in their company the more dangerous they become to you.         

History shows that Kwan Ning was right; for a while he refused to co-operate with the corrupt and evil rulers in any way and on any terms. Hwa in become a minister of corrupt and evil king for his selfish motives. Such people never do any good to the people and they are enemies of the nation. Their education is a complete failure and sheer waste of time and money.

As a great Russian writer said. “ it is not the brain that matters most, but that which guides it – the heart, the character, generous qualities, progressive ideas.”