As far back as I can remember, I have wanted to please folks
and be accepted by them. Though we may go about it in different ways, we are
all reaching out in some way to be accepted. There is a drive in us, that
pushes us to work at being accepted in one way or another. God is very aware
that we are like this and encourages us through His Word, to be careful in how
we reach out to attain that acceptance. Galatians 1:10 reminds us of
this, “For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God? Or am I
striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not
be a slave of Christ.” You see, you and I must decide if it is the love and
acceptance of people that we are striving for, or simply finding favor with God
and in turn, He shows us favor with others. But never the less, without
question it is His favor that we should be reflecting and that not of our own,
if we bear the name of Christ as God’s children.
Throughout history, there have
been countless numbers of scandals and in almost everyone, if not all of those
situations, there was a key moment of decision when some type of allegation
surfaced between someone’s character and their reputation. Ideally, each of us
would like to have both. A strong character, and a good reputation. However,
sometimes our circumstances may force us to choose one or the other. If
we choose our reputation, then we allow the most important issue to be, “how
something may look or appear to others”, and we will immediately go into damage
control and will take actions to limit any news getting out. This can easily
lead to the, “it’s more about me than about the One that lives in me”. If we
choose character, then our integrity will lead us to do the right thing and
that alone speaks highly of our reputation. It is kind of like putting the cart
before the horse if you choose your reputation over your character. Once you
choose godly character first, that becomes your code in life and your good
reputation will follow behind, and in the proper order. So it is always
worthwhile to be more concerned with your character than your reputation,
because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely
what others think you are. Our reputation isn't what the crowd is saying like
they did Saul and Paul: "Saul has killed his thousands and David his ten
thousands." That's not a real reputation. That's just flattery, current
events of the moment. Rather, your intentions should be concerning your
reputation, one of faithfulness, of a servant, of a pursuer of God.
You see,
many of us want our reputations to change based upon our inclination or our
statements. But it's very important for us to see these reputations has built
through change in our lives. Ecclesiastes 7 says, "A good name is better
than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth."
Why would the day of our death be better than the day of our birth? It's
because when you're born, you haven't done much. You messed your pants and
threw milky spit up on people, big deal. But at your death, somebody has
something to say about you. Don't you want your reputation to be that you
walked with God? What is your reputation? The main requirement of a steward is
that he be found faithful. 1 Samuel 18:30 says, "Then the princes of the
Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David
behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was
much set by." That's what brings glory to God. That's your reputation. We
can see actions, we can see direction, we can see gifts, we can see resolve.
But a reputation is consistently built over time. We're known by our doings, by
our fruit. The apostle Paul made it very clear in Galatians, that he was not
striving to please people, but God. You will have opportunities throughout your
life to uphold both your reputation and your character. Sometimes you might
have to choose one. May you always desire to please God and make the choice
that honors Him.
Loving on you today!
Bren
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