I pray this morning that we will strive to have a good reputation. Each day we live, we are building a reputation. Let’s make sure that our reputation is a good one and not a bad one.
I remember some years ago when we were in the parking lot of a church where I had been invited to preach. When we got there, nobody was there. We waited, and nobody showed up. A member of the church passed by, saw us sitting outside the church and pulled in to ask what was going on. I told her we had been invited to come that evening to render service.
She, being a member, said she didn’t know anything about the service. It wasn’t announced in church, and the pastor had not said anything about it. She asked with a smile, “Well, who was it that invited you to come?” I told her the individual’s name — and her whole facial expression changed. It dropped. She knew who I was talking about. She knew her reputation, and I knew it too and wasn’t surprised.
She hadn’t told her pastor or the church about the program. She didn’t call me to say she wasn’t having a program after she had invited me. We drove all the way there from McColl, South Carolina, wasted gas, and to this day she has not called or apologized for that incident. A bad reputation.
Community, y’all don’t want to be talking to somebody and they’re smiling, and then you call the name of your church, a church member or your pastor, and their expression changes and their face drops. And I don’t want to be talking to somebody about some of you as a church member and their facial expression drops. Readers, if someone were to ask your neighbors, co-workers, close family members or church members about you, what would they say? How would they look? A good reputation.
Are we honest, with moral conviction about what is right, and refuse to change? We don’t deal under the table. We don’t lie to get food stamps. We try to keep our word. We don’t park in handicap parking — even if we have a handicap sticker that is not ours — when we are not handicapped and have two good legs, while someone who really needs it can’t get in and has to struggle to walk from a distance. Integrity. We don’t take what doesn’t belong to us. We don’t break the law. We are law-abiding citizens. We have a good reputation.
That’s exactly what Jesus meant when he said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Let your light so shine before men” — family, co-workers, neighbors, the unchurched — “that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
The world is looking for true peace, hope, purpose, love and a reason to live. They are thirsty, but they’re drinking from the wrong fountain. Drugs won’t quench this thirst. Alcohol and sex won’t quench this thirst. Being a celebrity or a sports superstar won’t quench this thirst. Working all the time, playing the lottery and getting rich won’t quench this thirst. Going from man to man, woman to woman won’t quench this thirst. A sex change won’t quench this thirst.
Christian friends, sinners are all around us. We should be drawing them to our light. A good reputation for Christ is like a magnet, like a light. A good reputation is meant to shine and give direction. We ought to be light-radiating people. Nothing stands out like a good reputation.
And what is a good reputation? The Apostle Paul told Titus in the book of Titus, Chapter 2, verses 6-8, to be sober-minded and a pattern of good works for others to follow — clean, sincere and serious. He reminded Titus to be careful in his speech and how he talked, lest the enemy find something to criticize. We have to be careful, too. Nothing is worse than a foul-mouthed Christian.
A person with a good reputation doesn’t use profanity, doesn’t talk out of both sides of their mouth, doesn’t engage in foolish talk, doesn’t swear, doesn’t lie or spread rumors. Their word is “yes, yes” and “no, no” (Matthew 5:37). They have sound speech that cannot be condemned (Titus 2:8).
Community friends, Satan can lie on you, but nobody will believe it when you have a good reputation. You don’t have to speak for yourself — your reputation will speak for you. Doors will open for you. The Lord will bless your socks off when you have a good reputation. The devil’s fiery darts will bounce off, and no weapon formed against you will prosper when you have a good reputation (Isaiah 54:17).
Community, our shouting and spiritual dancing is no good. Saying hallelujah and waving your hand in the sanctuary is nonprofit. Prophesying, speaking in tongues and speaking into other people’s lives is no good if you don’t have a good reputation.
God doesn’t want our praise when our reputation is not good. Our worship is no good without it. So, community, let’s keep our noses clean. Let’s keep our hands out of the cookie jar. Let’s lift up clean and holy hands (1 Timothy 2:8). Let’s have a good reputation for Jesus Christ.
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