Character Matters More than Talent
My son walks around in a Jedi robe nearly 24 hours a day, and at any moment a lightsaber fight is likely to break out among my four children. Even as I type, I look on the table beside me and see a half-completed puzzle of Storm Troopers, Chewie, and Han Solo. It’s hard not to feel like Star Wars is the theme of our house.
I didn’t watch Star Wars until a year ago. I was afraid that all the hype would lead to a big letdown. However, when I finally watched it, I found that I enjoyed it very much. There are many interesting stories and characters, but there was one character that particularly captivated me: Anakin Skywalker.
I assume many of you know the story but let me provide a brief recap in case you don’t (spoiler alert). At first, Anakin was a Jedi (good guy) who possessed a natural gift in the ways of the force. His talent was noticed even as a young boy and he received the proper training to develop his gifts. However, through a series of life events, he devoted himself to the dark side (bad guys) and became one of the most popular antagonists in cinematic history, Darth Vader. His giftings developed faster than his character, and it eventually led to his destruction.
A Too Familiar Story
This fictional story seems eerily familiar in the church today. A gifted communicator or brilliant mind makes a meteoric rise to fame, builds up a large following, then years later a story goes public about a secret life of sin through it all. When the story breaks, we often find out that there were many people who spoke out about the person’s character, but they were not believed because many could not reconcile a person so gifted and “doing so much for the Lord” being guilty of such dark secrets.
Perhaps the reason the Anakin Skywalker story is so compelling is because we sense such a struggle in our own heart. Humans are complex and we often find seemingly irreconcilable desires within us. On the one hand, we have great desires to help others and sacrifice for the good of our neighbor. We feel the pull of doing what’s best for our fellow man. At the same time, we have desires, thoughts, and motives that are selfish and potentially hurtful to others. We fight such desires and even try to pretend they aren’t there. We often justify such thoughts because of the circumstances or even try to blame the devil. We can’t seem to believe such evil can come from within. It seems oil and water come from the same well.
“Humans are complex and we often find seemingly irreconcilable desires within us.”
However, the characters of Scripture reveal a similar struggle. The man of faith, Abraham, who left his homeland in obedience to the Lord is also capable of explicit deceit. King David, the “man after God’s own heart,” kills a giant in a great display of faith and leads the people of Israel to worship God alone, yet also uses his power to rape a woman and murders her husband to cover it up. Even after Peter received a vision from the Lord that shows his inclusion of the Gentiles (Acts 10), he is later guilty of excluding them because of fear of man (Gal. 2).
These examples do not justify such behavior nor serve as excuses to commit such atrocities. However, it should show us that someone who “does great things for the Lord” is capable of unthinkable evil. We should remember that no matter how great one’s public perception is, every accusation should be heard and investigated so the truth can be found.
Nobody gets to avoid accountability simply because of previous good they have done. Knowing that “all are sinners” doesn’t cause us to overlook sin but helps us recognize the depravity in each one of us so that we are not blinded by a person’s natural talent or charisma.
What Is Truly Needed in the Church
Talent is good, but it’s not everything. It is a gift from the Lord, but it’s not ultimate. I haven’t been in ministry long, but I’ve already seen many cases in which people with great talent fall due to lack of character. On the other hand, I’ve seen many godly people be overlooked in spite of their faithfulness and godly character simply because they weren’t as talented as others.
“Nobody gets to avoid accountability simply because of previous good they have done.”
The biblical qualifications for leadership in the church (1 Tim. 3:1–12; Titus 1:5–9) says little about talent (they should be “able to teach”) placing far, far more emphasis on character. The church must reprioritize our list of what we look for in godly leaders. God’s requirements for leadership should be our requirements.
Unfortunately, it seems the church often chooses teachers, deacons, pastors, and other leaders with an overemphasis on talent. I agree that God gives gifts to equip his church, but I would prefer a less-talented Sunday school teacher who is godly rather than a more eloquent teacher with shallow roots. An ordinary pastor who preaches faithfully is a better option than an extremely gifted communicator who lacks character. I’d rather see a leader who loves his people and desires their growth in godliness rather than one who brings large numbers but uses people for his own ends.
Sure, an Anakin Skywalker might temporarily get you more numbers, bigger budgets, and create “lots of energy” in your church. However, the long-term effects will be more hurt, more pain, and more people who are bitter because they’ve been betrayed by supposed leaders. The destruction caused by such leaders brings disrepute upon the name of the Lord and his church, and God is not glorified by leaders who are beaming with talent but lack the fruits of the Spirit. Over and over in Scripture, God chooses the less-talented, the rejected, and the weak to accomplish his purposes (2 Cor. 12:9–10; Exodus 4:10; Judges 7; Ruth; Esther).
May we be less concerned with big personalities who can draw a crowd or run a program. May we not simply desire the most talented, but the one who recognizes their sin and habitually walks in repentance and confession. May we value godliness and a person who depends each day on the Holy Spirit.
If you find you’re less talented than others, be encouraged that God is not impressed by someone’s giftings (after all, he’s the one that provided them). Continue to grow in your walk with the Lord and let him take you where he desires. Even if it seems you’re being overlooked, keep being faithful to the Lord who sees all you do (Job 28:24; Heb. 4:13). If you are someone who is blessed with great talent, be extra careful to focus on your character development and dependence on the Spirit. Talent can be a blessing from the Lord—but if not met with character—it can be the very downfall of a person and, unfortunately, a church.
James Williams serves as Associate Pastor at FBC Atlanta, Texas, and as a GCD staff writer. He and his wife, Jenny, are blessed with four children and are actively involved in foster care. He is passionate about beholding the beauty of our Lord and helping others do the same. He enjoys writing, running, and gardening. You can follow James Twitter or his blog where he writes regularly.