Build A Good Reputation

Proverbs 3:3-4 “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man”

Do you want people to listen to you and what you have to say? There is something that will help. Do you want people to like you? There is something that will help? Do you want to be able to help people and influence them toward God and His will for their lives? There is something that will help. It’s called ‘a good reputation.‘ A reputation is the general estimation in which a person is held by those around them or by the public and by God. When the way that people generally view you is great, you are likely to have a great reputation. That reputation will bring you favor with God and man.

I remember one morning while I was having devotions with my boys, I had them turn to my Fresh Manna verse for that day. It was Proverbs 11:4. It says, “Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.” As I was reading this to them, suddenly the Lord spoke to my spirit saying “Wealth does not impress me in any way. A good reputation does! “I shared with the boys what the Lord had spoke to my heart. I then asked them if they could think of people in the Bible that had a good reputation with God. They surprised me that had such great answers.

They reminded me of Luke 1:28 which said, “The angel went to Mary and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” This meant that she had a good reputation in the Lord’s eyes.

They also said, Daniel 10:11 which said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you.” Daniel had a good reputation in God’s eyes.

They also thought of Acts 13:22 talking about David saying, “And when God had removed King Saul, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the [son] of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all my will.” David had a good reputation in God’s eyes.

The Apostle Paul taught that to be effective as a leader that it was necessary to develop a good reputation. In 1 Tim 3:7 he said, an overseer “must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.” A good reputation is something that is built with people over time. Contributors to a great reputation included having proven yourself through faithfulness, humility, kindness and integrity. A truly good reputation is something powerful that cannot be bought. It is a process of character building where the heart’s motivation is developed, shaped, and corrected by God’s Word and the Holy Spirit over time. There becomes an increasingly good and godly pattern of life visible for others to see. A good reputation will cause you to have favor with man and God. It will work blessing in your life.

In the mid 80’s I use to own a commercial painting company. I only ever advertised one time in the history of the company. That was when I started the company. The first job I got, I did what the homeowner contracted me to do. I had decided that at the end of every job, I would ask what other small job I could do for them as a gift from our company. We always gave them more than they paid for and took care of even the slightest complaint. I also always tried to shine with God’s love and if the door was open, share the love of Jesus.

From the first job, I never had to advertise again. From that point on, every job came by referral. That was the way it was for five years. We had favor. The Lord would just move on people’s hearts and they would tell others about us. That’s why a good reputation is better than riches. Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.”

Trying to correct a bad reputation is like trying to turn a ship with an oar. It is done only with great effort for great periods of time and even then it’s difficult. A good reputation carries momentum. It’s like the snowball going down hill that grows. As today’s Fresh Manna says, it’s build out of constant love and faithfulness and wins you favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.

In His Love,
Pastor Tim Burt
http://readfreshmanna.blogspot.com/