The greatest NCAA basketball head coach of all time, John Wooden once said “Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” D. L Moody (1837-1899), who started his career as an uneducated shoe salesman but later became one of the greatest evangelists of all time puts it this way “If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself.” Both of them were just telling us that character is much more important than reputation. You and I should therefore regularly do a character checkup. We should examine ourselves to find out if we are exhibiting the following character qualities; faith, diligence, moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, patience endurance, godliness, kindness and love. We can ask whether we are learning to know God better as well as developing perseverance and loving others. As a person of faith, I have learnt that the best way to exhibit all these attributes is first and foremost to understand that God wants to produce His character in me. But He demands my discipline and effort. I have also learnt that If I obey Christ, who guides me by His Spirit, I will be able to develop all the character qualities including self-control, which I once called my books collection (Temperance Library) during my undergraduate years. Many years have come and gone since then, but self-control i.e., building the will to say no when a powerful appetite inside you screams remains a vital character attribute for me.