How To Keep A Good Reputation
Proverbs 25.1-12
A good reputation is earned. It is maintained by the same things that earned it for that individual.
Paul writing to Timothy about the qualifications of a pastor...
I Timothy 3.7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap. 8 Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect,
As believers we should be concerned about our witness by the way we live or our reputation. Our reputation reflects on our church and our faith. Here is the proper motivation for a good reputation- not to impress others but please God and bring glory to his name. We were bought with a price therefore we are to honor Him.
We cannot please everyone. If we try we will kill ourselves and still not do it. Some people are impossible to please. A young pastor came to D.L. Moody and said, “People are saying terrible things about me.” Moody responded, “Just make it your business to see that none of what they are saying is true.” They criticized Jesus, Paul and others. Billy Graham has his critics. Even God had His critics in heaven
We are not talking about being a people pleaser. We are talking about living in such a way your reflects Jesus Christ to the praise and honor of God.
How do we keep a good reputation?
1. Live a life of Humility (v.6-7)
This is not easy. It is a multifaceted battle. We can even become proud of our humility
A life of humility is having an honest and accurate opinion of myself.
Pride gets us into all kinds of problems that can lead the ruin of our good name.
We think we can handle temptation rather than asking God to deliver us from it.
We think of ourselves more highly than we ought.
We think we know more than everyone else.
We think we are better than everyone else.
Pride makes us boast.
James 4.16 As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.
Do not exalt yourself swell- honor oneself.
Proverbs 27.2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.
It is so unbecoming to hear a person toot their own horn, to listen to someone tell of their successes or accomplishments. I Corinthians 4.7 What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
A life of humility is means I will seek to think of others higher than myself. The aim is to always do that, becoming like Jesus.
Maintain a good reputation by...
2. Have a lot of Grace (v.8)
Don’t jump to conclusions... work out problems without the legal system when you can.
About this matter of jumping to conclusions... We need to be very careful- lest we damage another person’s reputation. What we see with our eyes is processed through our minds and then conclusions are drawn. Since we are flawed people our opinion is often incorrect. When we are wrong we desire grace. We should be as generous with others as we want God to be with us. God’s grace is abundant.
A person who is full of grace has a good reputation if it is genuine grace and not what Dietrich Bonhoffer referred to as cheap grace. We are told that Jesus came from the Father full of grace and truth. (John 1.14) Again let’s seek to be like Jesus. He had grace for the worst sinners but not a lot of tolerance for the self righteous.
We need an abundance of grace today. This is not compromise. It is the ability to navigate through a society that has lost its way. We cannot accommodate sin but we cannot condemn sinners. Be like Jesus Who came to seek and to save that which was lost.
Be a grace giver!
A good reputation is maintained by...
3. Keep Confidences (v.9-10)
Maintain confidentiality.
A person once told me that they are carrying secrets with them to the grave. I doubt it.
People that are always asking me not to say anything to anyone about what they are telling me are the telling me what they are doing- exactly that. Your speech betrays you.
We keep confidences by never talking about the fact that we are
We keep confidences by forgetting what someone has told us- don’t think about it
We keep confidences by being people of few words- listening more than we speak.
Don’t fall into the sin of gossip. It will stick with you. This idea of a reputation has to with whispering and defamation. I knew a lady whose family referred to as “Aunt Gossip” - how horrible! She loved to talk about others and tell all.
4. Let your conversation always be seasoned with salt (v.11)
Colossians 4.6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Speaking at the right time.
Saying good things that people thirst for more good things!
Appetizing
Zest
Godly
Like Apples of gold in settings of silver! Absolutely beautiful. A person of grace will have thta conversation going out of their lips.
5. Always be teachable (v.12)
Even when it means receiving rebukes.
It is not a pleasant thing to be rebuked. But when were kids it wasn’t pleasant to eat certain vegetables. I hated Lima Beans. My mom loved to buy them. I begged her not too. She didn’t listen to me. Imagine that?! She knew they were good before we knew what fiber was! I shivered when I ate them. They were good for me.
Being rebuked by a wise man is good for us. A wise man’s rebuke is gentle and to the point and points out things in our lives that need correcting.
No one likes a self assured smart aleck. A person like thta has an unteachable spirit.
A person who has a closed mind is unteachable.
Always be growing in the knowledge of the LORD Jesus Christ.
We are doing all of this to bring about praise and glory to God.
When we do that we benefit- we are blessed.
God blesses us with a good reputation.
A good reputation means less stress in our lives and more joy in our soul.
Blessed is the person who has a good reputation. Maintain it!
When we do that we benefit- we are blessed.
God blesses us with a good reputation.
A good reputation means less stress in our lives and more joy in our soul.
Blessed is the person who has a good reputation. Maintain it!
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