Life Changing Character Story
A new teacher stood at the front of his classroom preparing for another battle.
He glanced at the students as they filed into class – Worn out sneakers, shirts untucked, shoulders slumped. What could his English class give these kids that would help them with the problems they faced in the real world?
He had tried reaching out to them and he knew that he’d failed, but today he was going to try a different approach.
“OK everyone, grab a seat and listen up! “Today we’re going to talk about the nature of character. So… Damon, what does character mean to you?”
The heavyset boy in the second row shifted in his seat uncomfortably before replying, “Umm, character is the people in a story?”
“You’re right Damon, characters are the people in a story, but the nature of character goes much deeper than that. Let me show you something.” James lifted two plastic trays up on to his desk so that everyone in the class could see them. In each tray sat a large sponge. He then produced two glass jugs. The first contained clear water and the second contained dark brown drain water.
The young teacher poured the clear water into the first tray and the brown water into the second tray. “OK, who can tell me what’s happening here?”
“The sponges are soaking up the water?” replied the usually quiet Sharon.
“That’s right Sharon, the sponges are soaking up the water that surrounds them. “And that’s exactly how we develop our sense of character. We absorb the ideas of the people around us just like these sponges soak up the water. “If we surround ourselves with supportive, optimistic people we gradually develop a positive character,” said the young teacher indicating the tray containing the clean water.
He then motioned towards the second tray. “On the other hand, if we continually associate with pessimistic and cynical people, we gradually develop a negative character.”
James paused and noticed that the background chatter that usually filled the class was absent.
“Now what happens when I take the sponges out of the water?” he asked as he lifted up the sponges, one in each hand.
The class looked puzzled.
“How do they look?” prompted James.
“They look the same to me” said Damon and the class responded with a ripple of laughter.
“You’re right Damon, they do look the same on the outside, but there’s one important difference. “Watch what happens when I squeeze the sponges.” James squeezed the first sponge and clear water flowed back into the tray. He then squeezed the second sponge and released a steady stream of dark liquid.
“You see, even when I remove the sponges from their trays, they still carry their water with them. Its only when I squeeze the sponges that we can really see what’s inside them.
“The same thing happens with us,” continued James, “When we leave our familiar environment, we still carry our character inside us and when life puts us under pressure, our true character emerges from within.”
Today I’d like to encourage you to take Mr Glover’s lesson on board. Make the decision to spend your time with motivated, optimistic people. By doing this you will gradually soak up the thoughts and ideas necessary to develop a positive character. And when the time comes and life puts you under pressure, you’ll be able to draw upon this reservoir and your true character will emerge from within.
Author: Dr. Anthony Fernando
Awesome Mail. Praise God
This is an awesome article and SO true. Often it’s adversity that reveals TRUE character like when a sponge gets squeezed!. I’ll remember this one! Thank you! Fran
Thanks for the reminder…
This article is so reue, qw forget why and how God is always with us, the Faith, The Love, and the hope and we know there is something better for all of us. Spmges are material things but our love for God should be much stronger and we should learn how to show our repect with our attitudes towards ourselves and others, We absorb love Faith and happiness with our Heavenly father.
Sorry for the mispelling in my reply.
Love your humility, Regina, by seeing the need to apologise for mis-spelling. Bless you!
Yes, I agree with your story and I loved it. I always like to be positive and share ideas and grow, and learn from positive people. I am also learning how to have a comeback comment that is positive and helpful when someone is so negative. One I remember is someone made a negative statement, and I simply said “I love you anyway”…could not say another word. Another one was, someone said a foul word. When I asked her not to say it, she asked me “why Not”? I said “it takes away from you beauty”. She too could not say another word. As I am growing with my charcter, I am learning how to stay positive in the mist of the storm. As a person who wants to follow in Jesus Love, we need to help the sick by coming with the positive remarks in love. Then they become speakless. I just heard this. A man said everyone LIKES him but his wife. His wife comeback on that was “its true I do not like you, because I LOVE YOU…” he too became speakless…..Vita
yeah, when I was a teen I hung around with one dirty water sponge. and I became like him. after many hard trails thru growing older God redeemed me. today I
walk thru life askin Gods wisdom first. unfotunedly
the person died lonely & homeless. I had forgave him
long before that. and always love him as a friend.
I know that was Gods love. Amen?
All of the above comments are so beautiful, especially the one from Vita Lioce. It is so important to be loving and kind and to try to do a RAK every day (Random Act of Kindness). Let’s try to show love to everyone and to accept everyone just as they are; creations of God. Love and Prayers to all.
Character is more precious than gold it says who e really are.
yes,very true,i fully agree with u sir.
Cultivate an atmosphere of love and co-operation with one and all, and you can ensure joy for ever more. Do not seek arguments to keep away from others; seek rather ways of working together for the common good. The sense of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ scotch love and cooperation. Reduce them to the minimum and then start serving the needy and the distressed. Develop character as well as intelligence and health. The most reliable source of strength is not in money, or kinsmen, or physical acumen, but in yourself, the Atman. Delve deep and draw sustenance from it; see it in all; serve it in all. Discipline is another key trait. Every individual and every nation must learn to control the wild nature of passions and emotions; yielding to them brings only ruin. Discipline, self-control, desire to serve – these are the weapons that even the weakest can use, and win the battle of life.
I believe in being as positive, patient,kind and understanding……I am married to one who is all the negative things you all have mentioned…The dirty water sponge….I have always tried to teach the positive to my spouse with no avail.causing my deep depression…I suck it up and pull myself out of the dumps but it gets harder and harder to do. I will keep trying…..Why can’t tne negative angry one learn from the more patient and joyful one.
This is something that I do and it helps me; Whenever I feel unappreciated or not acknowledged in any way, or even bored with my routine – I change my thinking. I turn my focus to “Jesus or God” and I realize how lucky I am to have been given another day on this earth. I turn my appreciation to Him, I acknowledge Him and I tell myself that all that I do, I do for God. Then suddenly as if a light-switch has been turned on – I’m ok with everything. I even have a skip in my step. I realize that the one being that I want to be proud of me, the one who loves me more than anyone else is the one I strive to do my best for. I encourage you to remember the qualities that drew you to your loved ones and keep praying for them with faith filled expectations. Remember where to keep your focus
the through is god is in control of our life, no else only him.
His our councilor, His our rock strength, Gog may bless each of you.
the through is god is in control of our life, no else only him.
His our councilor, His our rock strength, may God bless each of you.
Great, inspiring story! Creative way to teach students how we imbibe the values around us.
Thank you for sharing!
A really thought provoking message.You truly don’t know who a man is,until you give position and power.Our character is like a smoke fm a burning fire which can’t be hidden.It wl eventually tell the people arnd us who we truly are.May the good Lord endow us wt His own virtues in order to always pass the test of character whenever it is called to play.Amen.
a nice story as how one should develop character, it is truly said in our HINDUISM, that thru SATSANGHA
( means associating with good people) we develop our character. so, what is more important in life, is with what type of people you associate with during day in and day out of life
Challenges (the tough kind) are NEVER pleasant, but they are God’s gifts to us! We have to get squeezed from time to time to see what we’re made of and what is hidden within even out of view from ourselves. Thank you!
Jesus also taught with Parables. God Bless
I was filled with so much “brown water”. And I believe I am rinsing myslef of that every day as I grow in faith of my GOD. I love the parable, I learn through my “life of hard knocks”, and even though I somtimes feel as though I am loosing the sustainability in living the right way, I pray always to look up and thank HIM in my storm(s)of life. He is every thing or he is nothing….I choose HIM to be MY everything, even when I have so little faith in self. HE holds me up and holds my hand. I love the life of Christ. Now HE had/has character!
i really enjoyed the story, i ask god daily to be a light to my path and a lamp to my feet, to lead and guiide me by the power of his holy spirit,i am one of his little sheep and as you all know little lambs get in trouble when they dont follow their shepherd, they become dirty little sponges, but praise god for his grace and mercy and his love for his sheep, he can make us clean little sponges if we only ask and truly repent.
I’m impressed by these answers and sharing. I have received God’s Fruits Stories as well as Godvine through Mike Huckabee. I happen to know Mike a little and he stands as a servant of Jesus Christ. I wanted him to run for President …but that was not his calling.
Each of the replies above are positive and reaching up for more positivity… I see great growth there and I don’t even know these kids.
What I do know is that each of these videos/stories have a hidden meaning and it is to reach out and touch the Hand of God for others. Makes me want to be a better spokesperson, if called upon …and to be sure the rest of my years and days on the other side of 50 …are glorifying and thankful to The One Who gave soooo much for me…my Savior, & Lord, Jesus Christ. He’s coming again and it may just be in my lifetime (how wondersul that would be) but my hope is in Him. Thanks Mike, for all your great work. May Jesus Christ be praised forever and forever. AMEN