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What truly defines our character? Is it our education, financial status, residential address or social circle? While these aspects can provide some insight, they fail to capture the essence of who we are. Then, what is the true measure of our character? According to St. Mother Teresa of Kolkata, the founder of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity, it is the way we deal with the poor and the least among us. To quote her, “Your true character is most accurately measured by how you treat those who can do nothing for you.”
These words are no empty words. For, Mother Teresa lived them throughout her life as a nun and missionary, serving the poorest of the poor in Kolkata’s slums. One moving instance of her selflessness occurred when she came across a penniless man in distress, lying alone on the streets.
While many of us would have turned away, citing his dire condition as a reason to avoid him, she approached with compassion and eagerness to serve. To her, he was not just a victim of neglect and illness; he was a fellow human being deserving of love and dignity.
Despite facing numerous challenges—limited resources, a staggering number of those in need, and the harsh realities of urban poverty—Mother Teresa knelt beside thousands of such people, cleaning their wounds and offering comfort. In her eyes, they were not a burden but a representation of the divine, her brethren in need of compassion.
Her unwavering dedication to treating others with dignity and love exemplifies the true measure of character. Thus, when Mother Teresa articulated the true measure of a person’s character, she had already lived the core of her belief through her vocation. By dedicating her life to the lepers, the terminally ill, abandoned children, the elderly, and countless others among the poorest of the poor, she demonstrated that a person’s moral worth is not determined by their achievements or accolades, but by their actions towards society’s most vulnerable and overlooked individuals.
Mother Teresa embodied the very definition of character. Her life exemplifies the truth that compassion is not merely an emotion; it is a conscious choice we make. This choice, in turn, inspires us to act with kindness and empathy, ultimately revealing the true measure of our character.