John White

There are no shortcuts to holiness. There is no easy way to conquer the flesh. Christian character is a matter of growth, not of secrets or formulas. Growth takes time. It also takes the discipline of prayer, of study, of heart searching, of sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s pleading, and of consistent obedience. It must always begin with a renewed thankfulness for the never-ending grace of God, and a sense of being set free repeatedly to a life of holiness.

Henri J. M. Nouwen

To wait openhandedly is an enormously radical attitude toward life. So is to trust that something will happen to us that is far beyond our imaginings. So, too, is giving up control over our future and letting God define our life, trusting that God molds us according to God’s love and not according to our fear. The spiritual life is a life in which we wait, actively present to the moment, trusting that new things will happen to us, new things that are far beyond our own imagination, fantasy, or prediction. That, indeed, is a very radical stance toward life in a world preoccupied with control.

Floyd McClung Sr

Character is the one thing we develop in this world and take with us into the next.
Character is what you really are; reputation is what people say you are supposed to be.
Character is the face; reputation is the photograph.
Character grows from within; reputation grows from without.
Reputation is what you have when you move to a new community. Character is what you have when you leave.
Character is built over a lifetime. Reputation can be made in a moment.
Character grows like an oak; reputation grows like a mushroom.
A single news report can give you a reputation. A life of diligence gives you character.
Reputation is what men will say about you on your tombstone. Character is what the angels will say about you before the throne of God.