Take Inventory of Your Character!

A 32-ounce Heinz Ketchup bottle. A fog-free shaving mirror. A 382-piece Lego train set. These are the sorts of strange combinations shelved next to each other at online retailer Amazon’s massive fulfillment centers.

When items are received into inventory at one of the company’s 140-plus warehouses across the United States, they are scanned and put on the first available shelf. This is why condiments can live next to children’s building blocks.

The warehouses are mammoth. Some of the larger fulfillment centers have the footprint of 59 American football fields and house row after row after row of millions of items.

If everything was done by hand, Amazon would be a logistical nightmare—keeping track of inventory, impossible. Yet with the help of computers and robots the retailer is often able to locate, box and ship items within minutes of a customer clicking “Place your order.”

Similar to Amazon, people are made up of many different parts. Everyone has their own unique and complex combinations of likes and dislikes, personality quirks, and character traits. Yet we do not have computers to reveal our personal inventories.

Instead, God commands us to take stock of our lives regularly (II Cor. 13:5), and even more specifically in the weeks leading up to the Passover. This intensive self-examination helps ensure we fully grasp the gravity of taking the bread and wine during that special service.

Notice I Corinthians 11: “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup” (vs. 27-28).

Self-examination should always start with remembering a truth about human nature: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9).

We can think we know our hearts and feel like we are on solid footing. However, we must remember that our hearts are deceitful above all things. We can trick ourselves into thinking we are doing fine when there are huge spiritual problems in our lives.

To get past the limitations of human nature, it helps to take an inventory of our character and our true motivations. We must include God in the process. Thorough self-examination requires us to get closer to God through prayer, Bible study, meditation and fasting.

Certain verses and passages are helpful as you plumb the depths of your life and mind. The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 is one example. Another is the lists of the works of the flesh and fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:19-24.

One more example comes in the memory verse Philippians 4:8.

It states: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

The immediate link to self-examination in this verse is clear. We should fill our minds with things that are godly and help us be more righteous. Our choices of friends, music, movies, books—how we fill our time—all apply.

Yet Philippians 4:8 has more to do with self-examination than first meets the eye. We are to think on these things. Strong’s Concordance defines the Greek word here as “to take an inventory.”

So we are to “take an inventory” of things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report.

Clearly, we are not supposed to go through the world and find every single thing that fits the list in Philippians 4:8-9. Nor should we be taking a complete inventory of these things in others.

Instead, each individual should look at himself to find how he is doing in each of these areas. Doing so can reveal where you are solid spiritually—and where there is room to improve.

Things that Are True

The Greek word translated true means just that: true. Strong’s adds an emphasis meaning “not concealing.”

Ask yourself: Am I leading a life that is perfectly true? Where there is nothing hidden?

Of course, there are some things in our lives that are private. However, look for places that you may be embarrassed or guilty about.

Luke 8:17 adds to this: “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.”

Ultimately, we will all stand before Jesus Christ in a day of reckoning. If there are “secrets” in your life where you are playing games with God—root them out!

Another element of being true is avoiding hypocrisy. Over and over Jesus warned the scribes and Pharisees and called them hypocrites. They kept a twisted form of God’s Law as an outward show, but inwardly were full of sin.

Notice Matthew 23: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (vs. 27-28).

Things that Are Honest

After the word true comes honest. At first glance, these two words seem very similar. Honest people speak the truth. Yet there is something more we should take stock of in our lives.

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines the word for “honest” as “venerated for character, honorable.” Ask: “Am I honorable?”

Everywhere else this word is translated in the Bible, it is stated as “grave.” In I Timothy 3 verses 8 and 11 this term is used to describe a quality that should be found in deacons and their wives. Titus 2:2 encourages “aged men” to be grave as well.

This does not mean we should all be overly serious and solemn. But look at your actions. Are you becoming more mature as time goes on? Are you able to be relied upon by others? If you are in a position of authority or are one of the “aged men,” are you fulfilling your role honorably?

Things that Are Just

We are also to take inventory of things that are “just” in our lives. Thayer’s defines this as “righteous, observing divine and human laws.”

Read Romans 2:13: “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.”

Those who faithfully keep God’s commands are just.

Go through God’s laws in your mind. Sabbath, tithing, offerings, etc. We are also commanded to regularly pray and study the Bible.

Ask: How am I doing in each of these? Is there anywhere I cut corners?

Remember what Luke 17 states: “So likewise you when you shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do” (vs. 10).

Profitable servants are careful to fulfill God’s Law and then go above and beyond!

Things that Are Pure

The Greek word translated “pure” is hagnos. The root word is hagios, which is translated as “holy” and “saint” elsewhere in the Bible. We should be examining our lives to ensure that we are set apart from the world.

Romans 12 helps explain how to lead lives that are pure: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (vs. 1).

Verse 2 continues: “And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

We should stick out from the world! They do not know God’s Way.

The apostle Peter further explained this concept: “For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you” (I Pet. 4:3-4).

In other words, before we were called, we were given to lusts, partying and covetousness. But this should no longer be the case. People should now think it is strange that we do not join in sinful activities.

Make sure you are set apart from this world. Take it seriously! James 4:4 states that anyone who is “a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

Things that Are Lovely

“Lovely” in Philippians 4:8 is another weak translation. The Greek term is phileo and shares a root word with Philadelphia, which means the “city of brotherly love.” Thayer’s defines phileo as “acceptable, pleasing, friendly towards.”

Look through your life and see how you are doing showing brotherly love toward others. How often do you help or spend time with elderly brethren in your area? Do you diligently pray for those who are having health trials?

Another way to examine this is how you come across. Are your facial expressions and actions pleasing and friendly? Do you come across as warm or brusque?

More on relationships and fellowship later.

Things that Are of Good Report

“Good report” means “well spoken of.” Its root word appears in two places referring to the “fame” of Jesus spreading throughout the land (Matt. 9:26; Luke 4:14).

Taking inventory of your fame would be conceited or self-congratulatory. A better way to approach this category is to take stock of how your actions are construed by others.

Is there anything you do that could give the Church a bad name? Even worse, is there anything you do that could give God’s Way a “bad report”?

I Thessalonians 5:22 contains a guideline that should tower in our thinking: “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” This means that even if something is technically OK, we should refrain from it if it looks like something sinful could be going on. A classic example is a single man and married woman being alone in a room behind a closed door for hours. It could be completely innocent, but it could look like something more is occurring.

We must avoid such situations so as to receive a good report!

Any Virtue or Praise

“Virtue” and “praise” build on the categories that come before and provide a capstone for them all. The first can mean “any excellence of a person” and the second “obtaining praise.”

Similar to giving ourselves a good report, these words require a different look. We should examine our lives and ensure we are striving for excellence and that what we are doing is praiseworthy.

The memory verse Ecclesiastes 9:10 certainly applies: “Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…” We should put our whole selves into everything we do!

In your work, hobbies, how your house is kept, relationships—every part of your life—do you strive for excellence?

This applies to spiritual matters as well. Matthew 5:48 tells us we should be endeavoring to become “perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

Achieving perfection is a process. Ultimately, we will not be as perfect as the Father until we are spirit beings. Yet that is still our goal as humans. In prayer, study, mediation, fellowship, etc., we should be seeking out ways we can improve and grow.

How can we know if our actions are “praiseworthy”? One way is to look at what pleases God.

The amount we sacrifice is a clear way to obtain praise from our Creator: “You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (I Pet. 2:5).

The Philippian congregation sacrificed for God’s Work to provide for Paul. The apostle said their efforts were “an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God” (Phil. 4:18).

Bringing excellence in communication in all our relationships is another way to give of ourselves: “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Heb. 13:16). This includes our spouses, children, brethren—and the ministry when necessary.

It is also praiseworthy to take persecution patiently when it comes: “For what glory is it, if, when you be buffeted for your faults, you shall take it patiently? But if, when you do well, and suffer for it, you take it patiently, this is acceptable with God” (I Pet. 2:20).

Two Sides

Retailers take inventory of their products at least once a year. Some do it quarterly. At those set times, they check how much of a product or item they have “on paper” versus what is actually in the store.

These numbers can be different because of “shrinkage” (shoplifting), a shipment never came in, or records were taken inaccurately.

Taking a spiritual inventory is similar. When we begin to examine ourselves, we will have an idea of how we are doing. But we must examine every part of our lives to know the truth.

There are two sides to this process. We can know what we have on hand—where we are doing well—but can also identify areas where we are lacking.

Do not stop with Philippians 4:8. There are many sermons and articles on our website that can help supplement your self-examination.

Be thorough. Be honest with yourself. Admit where you are falling short, but also admit where you are growing—and be encouraged by it!

By taking a more accurate accounting of our spiritual inventories, we can start there and continue to grow so we can “obtain praise” when Christ returns.