George Washington Proved Character Matters—Why It Still Should Today

That’s a popular saying we’ve all heard, likely hundreds and possibly even thousands of times while growing up. In fact, it’s said and heard so much that one could argue that it’s a cliché at this point. But, like every other cliché, there is truth to it. It’s simple, straightforward and direct, not to mention utterly and completely accurate. Additionally, it’s understandable why adults attempt to instill it in the minds and psyches of the youths in their lives. 

Now, character is revealed in any and every situation and circumstance, particularly those pesky, difficult, less-than-pleasant ones. But as many have likely heard before, character also matters greatly whenever someone steps into a voting booth. We are instructed to exercise that cherished and treasured civic duty with as much character as we can muster.

But how sure are we that character matters to the people whose names appear on that ballot? Is it their awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping, show-stopping, upstanding and superior character that has driven them to seek public office, or might it possibly be something else entirely? Could it be a deep-seated desire and thirst for power, prestige or respect that serves as their motivating factor?

So, how far are human beings willing to go to taste and feel even a minuscule amount of power? Sadly, the answer is some pretty great lengths. We see and hear of these examples daily, on every television news broadcast and on an endless collection of websites, all chronicling the devious and underhanded moves and activities of our elected officials. Human beings are, as the book of Romans makes entirely clear, all sinners and have fallen way short of the mark.

Many, but not all, of our elected leaders lie, cheat and steal, with some doing it at an incredibly impressive rate – exhibiting a character that leaves much to be desired, to say the least. So, what should we do as a nation? Where should we turn? Who should we look to in these divisive, polarizing times, when trust and faith in our elected leaders are, rightfully so, nearly nonexistent?

George Washington, the Father of our Country, is never a bad place to look, especially in times of national moral crises and failings. Prior to taking office and becoming our nation’s first president, Washington was the commander of the Continental Army. As you can imagine, that was not always a time full of sunshine, rainbows and laughter.

In the fight for our nation’s independence against the mighty British military, Washington lost thousands of men. There were times when defeat seemed all but certain, but during those fraught, despair-filled occasions, Washington relied on the wisdom, direction and guidance of the Lord, as most famously captured in the iconic painting “Prayer at Valley Forge.”

Following the war, which (spoiler alert), Washington and company did win, he was selected, against his wishes, as the first president of the young nation. Despite his initial reluctance, Washington took the job and led this country yet again, serving two terms as president.

Then, good ole George decided he had had enough and chose to ride off into the sunset instead of serving in the highest office for a third time. He shunned all that power and control, willingly choosing to give it up when another term in office would have been guaranteed.

Today, someone giving up and shunning power, particularly the presidency, is unheard of. That would be a story and a move dissected and talked about at length by every 24-hour “news” channel.

Instead, many people today plan and are constantly positioning themselves with the goal of being elected to and winning public office. Why? Yes, some really want to use that position for good, impacting people’s lives for the better.  But we can all agree that the power that comes with office is often a big draw for many, who then, once in office, often do whatever they can to hold onto those positions and the power and control that come with them.

Washington, from everything we know and can read about our nation’s first president, clearly saw his positions as a duty, a chance to serve his country and his fellow citizens. To him, because of his impeccable and exemplary character, those weren’t opportunities for him to seize power and control.

So, does character still count? Does it still matter? Yes, it most certainly does, or at least it still should.

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