Reputation

I believe that this is an important word to keep at the forefront of my mind. My choices and actions today either support and build my reputation or tear it down. A good reputation takes a long time to build, but it can be destroyed with one bad decision. I heard a great quote recently that says: “When your values are clear, your decisions are easy”. I want my values to get clearer and clearer every day. I want my reputation of honesty, integrity and hard work to be crystal clear to everyone who comes into contact with me. I want to keep growing my reputation of service whether I’m serving in leadership at church, as a REALTOR or as a friend. I want to be consistent and steady in how I live, serve, love and work.

In the letter to the church in Sardis, John challenges their reputation. It is not what it seems. They get called out and given sound counsel. Check this out…

“I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead. ² Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God.³ Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.(Revelation 3:1b-3 NLT)

The good counsel here is to wake up! It’s easy to drift away from the things that matter most. I should daily evaluate how well I stand on my values. One my values is my faith. I believe in God Who created the universe. I believe He made a way for me to come to Him through faith in His One and only Son. I believe that His Spirit now lives in me and will give me sound counsel on any and every decision I make, if I will listen to Him. I am blessed with a beautiful and amazing family whom I love profoundly. I have an incredible responsibility as Dad to seek the Father’s heart and be an example as well as a leader in my family. I don’t ever want to drift from being the best leader of my family that I can be. I also am a leader in the Lord’s church. I want to teach and equip others to know Him more. The cool thing is that as I teach and work at equipping others, my faith grows stronger and deeper.

The reputation that I have can’t be all that too me. I believe my reputation is a by-product of who I am. I see people who “manufacture their reputation” and I believe it will crumble. A reputation is built over time and it should be built upon the values and principles that I live my life by. I know that in the past I have drifted. I’m thankful that by the Grace of God, I can be forgiven and restored. The Lord has even helped me with the “fall-out” from my reputation drift. I don’t want to be famous for who I am, but I want to make Him famous, because if I become known by others for something I do or say, it’s ALL because of my walk with Jesus. My reputation rests upon my relationship with Him.

Pressing On!

Dwayne