Character
For a disciple, character is measured or defined by the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5). Is your inner life filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control? Is your life characterized by grace, humility, compassion, generosity and mercy? Are your words filled with grace and compassion? Do you enjoy a deep relationship with the Father of Heaven? Do you have a love for the Scriptures? These are the qualities we see in Jesus, and these are the qualities that are growing within a disciple.
Competency
For a disciple of Jesus, competency is best measured or defined through the making of other disciples. Can you make disciples who can and will in turn make new disciples? Can you hear the Father’s voice, and do you respond to it with the power and authority that Jesus exemplified? Are you present and aware of what God is doing around you?
When you pray or move out in faith, do things happen? Do you joyfully accept the responsibility of representing the Father and Son here on earth? Do you trust the Spirit to lead and guide you? Can you teach the Scriptures well? Are your actions just and merciful? These are the things we find Jesus doing, and these are the things disciples are learning to do.
Both/And
Most of us typically lean toward one or the other. We either want to focus on our character development in hopes that we can grow closer to God through holiness, or we want to focus on competencies in order to build the Kingdom. This is not an either/or scenario, it is a both/and. Our developing character does enrich our relationship with the Father in Heaven (Covenant), and our growing competencies do assist in building God’s Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. Only when our character and competency is aligning with Jesus will we see true sustainable Kingdom breakthrough.
