Character and Self-Control

“A thousand ills come in through the open door of unresisted temptation,” said David Starr Jordan. Out of all that is offered, a man has to choose, to make up his mind; and he who lacks self-control⎯has no sound future, for he cannot be counted on to make sound decisions.

“Over the times thou hast no power . . . Solely over one man . . . thou has quite absolute . . . power, “said Carlyle.” Him redeem and make honest.”

These words from Carlyle put repentance and improvement, and indeed all the choices and decisions of life, right back where basically they belong: with each of us, inside ourselves. They face us with the fact that the direction of life comes down largely to a question of character, which, in essence, is a question of self-control.

It is true that there are adverse influences and examples⎯that pressures come to play upon us⎯that appetites and desires and inducements pull us in different directions⎯but out of all this we ourselves have to select, we ourselves have to decide.

Men make foolish decisions, sometimes by being headstrong, sometimes by failing to ask or accept advice, sometimes by being too conceitedly sure of themselves. There is safety in seeking counsel, with honest humility, from sincere and wholesome sources, and seeking it also from the Highest Source with a prayerful approach to every problem.

“Every temptation that is resisted,” said John Fiske, “every noble aspiration that is encouraged, every sinful thought that is repressed, every bitter word that is withheld, adds its . . . impetus [to] that great movement which is [tending] toward a richer life and higher character.”

This recalls another seldom quoted observation: “Do you want to know the man against whom you have most reason to guard yourself? Your looking-glass will give you a very fair likeness of his face.”

“The secret of all success is to know how to deny yourself.”