在多米尼克．布胡爾斯（Dominique Bouhours）彌留之際，他的家人都聚集在他床邊。據說，這位十七世紀法國文法學家在嚥下最後一口氣時說：「我快要死了，或說我即將死了，這兩種說法都是正確的。」誰會在臨終時還關心文法的問題呢？恐怕只有一生鑽研語法的人才會如此。

當我們步入老年時，性格已大致定型。我們的選擇會經年累月地形成好習慣或壞習慣，至終鑄成性格。我們的選擇決定我們成為怎樣的人。

當我們年輕、性格尚未定型時，較易培養敬虔的習慣。彼得敦促說：「你們要分外地殷勤。有了信心，又要加上德行；有了德行，又要加上知識；有了知識，又要加上節制；有了節制，又要加上忍耐；有了忍耐，又要加上虔敬；有了虔敬，又要加上愛弟兄的心；有了愛弟兄的心，又要加上愛眾人的心」（彼得後書1章5-7節）。培養這些特質，你我就能「豐豐富富地得以進入我們主救主耶穌基督永遠的國」（11節）。

彼得列出的哪些特質在你身上最為顯著？你仍需特別培養哪些特質？我們無法真正改變自己的性格，但耶穌能夠。你可以求祂改變你、賜給你力量。這也許是一個緩慢而艱辛的過程，但耶穌必供應我們所需的一切。懇求祂改變你的性格，你就可以越來越像祂。

Family gathered around the bed of Dominique Bouhours, a seventeenth-century grammarian who was dying. As he took his final breaths, he reportedly said, “I am about to—or I am going to—die; either expression is correct.” Who would care about grammar on their deathbed? Only someone who cared about grammar his entire life.

By the time we reach old age, we’re largely set in our ways. We’ve had a lifetime for our choices to harden into habits that calcify into character—good or bad. We are who we’ve chosen to become.  

It’s easier to develop godly habits while our character is young and flexible. Peter urges, “Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). Practice these virtues, and “you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (v. 11). 

Which traits in Peter’s list are most alive in you? Which qualities still need work? We can’t truly change who we’ve become, but Jesus can. Ask Him to transform and empower you. It may be a slow, arduous journey, but Jesus specializes in providing exactly what we need. Ask Him to transform your character so you become more and more like Him.