Have you ever been turned down for credit? Do you pay your bills on time? Have you ever been referred to as "messy"? Do you tell secrets? Do others confide in you during times of desperation? If you tell someone that you will do something, do you? If you're not able to keep your obligation, is that communicated or ignored? Are you reliable? Do you pass the baton when it’s time to manage your own responsibilities?
What's this credit and good name stuff all about? Some people have such good names that it is sometimes stolen. Identity theft is the idea of stealing a "good name" in order to benefit in ways that an otherwise "bad name" would be prohibited. Based on how you conduct your affairs, would you be defined as one having "a good name"? Is your name "good" enough to even be used for identity theft?
I guess what I'm trying to ask is, are you/should you be concerned about your name? Does your reputation matter to you? Did you know that God is concerned about how He is seen in the eyes of man? Ezekiel 36, verses 22-32 speaks about how God strategically used His people to reform how He was viewed. He moved in a way that would restructure His reputation. He did not want to be seen as "regular" and/or "weak". He did, however, want to be reverenced as the one and only true God. Through their own actions, God's people diminished His name and standard. His name and reputation were important to Him.
Do you give thoughts and actions to maintaining a "good name"? Do you care if you are known as a woman that is saved, loves God, strong in the faith, one that prays who is rich in character and integrity. Speaking of character and integrity, are those features relevant in living a Christian life. By all means, YES!!!! As Christian women, we should definitely be concerned about our reputation. We should not conduct a life that contradicts the standard of God. When it comes to standard, the bible speaks of how we are to owe no man, in essence, pay our bills? Let your nay be nay and yea, yea, meaning speak the truth, add nothing and take nothing away. Do unto others as you would have them do to unto you. We've heard these sayings all our lives, but they are the same clichés that build character and establish us as one that has a "good name".
It pleases God when we live in a way that brings glory to His name. God is satisfied when those who belong to Him live in a way that supports His Word. We bring glory to God when we live in a way that is full of character and integrity by having that "good name". When we love our husbands and children as God says, are "real friends" to those in our lives, and do well according to the word of God, we glorify God's name. We bring shame to the name of God, when we identify ourselves as Christians, but display characteristics that contradict that lifestyle. Lifestyle is a word of operation that indicates a repeating action or manner of continuance. Often times we sing the song in church, “oh magnify the Lord, for He is worthy to be praised”. As Christians, when we have a “good name”, we magnify the name of the Lord. On the other hand, we demoralize God when we do not.
Do you feel that having a good name is relative to giving God glory? What is our responsibility to maintaining character that compliments the standard of holiness and sanctification? You see it is not a standard of the world to exemplify a good name. In this ungodly world, it's common to lie, deceive, steal, hate , commit adultery, fornicate, murder in words or deeds and do all those things that promote unrighteousness. Righteousness on the other hand simply aborts all those things and many others that contradict the goodness of God.
What are some ways that you practice to maintain a good name? Is there something that you may have done or need to do in order to repair or restore your "good name"? Does your reputation bring glory or shame to God? When sworn to tell the truth so help me God, would witnesses declare an affirmative, yes!!!! when asked about their experiences with you having a good name/reputation, or are there many stories that would explain otherwise? What are your thoughts . . . ? Does it matter when you say, "and my name is . . ."?
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ReplyDeleteWhat I think truly matters is that if you profess yourself as a saved person than the life you lead should not contradict the Word of God. That passage in Ezekiel lets us know that the heathen (worldly folks) will know (respect) me based on how you act towards me. That's why people don't respect God or the church because supposedly saved people have lived a hypocritical life. When worldly people see supposedly Godly people have a lifestyle that demoralize and demean God then they feel that there may not even be a God. So, I think living what you profess is essential in having a good name, and bringing glory to God. I do think it is important to have a good name or reputation. Living according to the Word of God, and letting your light so shine are important in our Christian walk. But I don't think that we should become consumed with other people's opinion about our name/character. For example, some people may see someone as being (speaking) aggressive, when that person may just be confident and they are misunderstood. So, what one person may see as aggressiveness, another may see as confidence. With that being stated, we should also give thought to having a good name. Now the 2 previous statements sound like they conflict so I'll explain myself. If you as a saved person know that people view you as aggressive, it's up to you to try and say things in a gentle manner. So, with a person modifying their behavior then they are in essence giving thought to having/keeping a good name. Some ways that I practice to maintain a good name are to be prayerful, reading the Word, and by listening & being obedient to my Pastor. I don't go around taking surveys on what people think of me, so I can only hope and pray that my reputation brings glory to God. It is something that matters to me, but it doesn't consume me. I'm concerned with what God thinks. I could write more, but I'll leave it at that.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many good comments and questions posed in this month’s blog. Unfortunately I will not be able to add my thoughts to each one. I have selected one aspect of who we are or posing to be as women of the Most High.
ReplyDeleteOur president touched on identity theft serving the purpose for a perpetrator to steal or doing away with someone who has been deemed as credible enough to steal, take, ruin, damage, tarnish their reputation. One thing great aspect of us being a victim of identity theft is that once we can prove that specific transactions were not conducted by the us, the credit holder, then credit companies as well as the credit bureaus have a federal responsibility to release us from the obligation of repaying such charges against our name; restoring the standard that our name possessed prior to.
In the spiritual realm, things can be a little more complicated given that sometimes our names are “severed” amongst people who know little about us (conversation) or simply don’t know us at all. I always use the tactic that Pastor has taught us. The saying is that people working under the influence of the devil will say and do things against the character of those who are living for the Lord. The kingdom of God can’t work against itself. Just don’t let those things that are being said about us be found truthful. Another one… if someone calls you a dog, that doesn’t mean that you have to bark, lol! This is one of my favorite words of wisdom from Pastor.
I stopped some time ago trying to depend myself when I knew that my name was on the line. Instead I have resorted to letting my character tell who I am and my name should speak for itself. "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake." St. Matthew 5:11 KJV; I Peter 3:17 KJV
I can appreciate your comments. When it comes to doing a work for the Lord, or conducting ourselves as Christians, I can't say that I agree with adjusting areas like confidence in order to make others feel comfortable. Likewise I don’t know anyone who goes around yelling and screaming at people or being outright rude and nasty. Can you imagine the drain on a person to try to make everyone feel comfortable with them being confident? We serve a mighty, strong, powerful God. We in turn are His soldiers. Soldiers are meek but strong and secure in what they have been trained to defend. When we do God's work, we defend the Cross and the nature of God's work. It's not a comfortable place.
ReplyDeleteSatin in all his efforts doesn't care if we're confident or quiet as a mouse, his job is to muffle the saints of God, and he’s done a pretty good job at it. In times like these, we have to cry loud and spare not, because the kingdom suffers violence, but we have to take it by force. We have to remember that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Powers, the Rulers of darkness, Spiritual wickedness in high places, etc, (you know the scripture). That's when the Holy Ghost gives us that boldness (confidence) not in ourselves, but in what we know is true of God, and He (the Holy Ghost) empowers us to put the devil to a flight. This is important because as mentioned, we can't live a life consumed with opinions of others, because we'd end up with emotional and mental problems from trying to adjust to please everyone and go crazy doing it. However, we have to be careful that our name, lives, attitude, etc. reflect the character of God. If that is practiced, then no weapon formed against you will prosper.
God wants somebody who is bold enough to declare that something is wrong when it is, not because we think so but because He said so. It takes more than confidence to be that strong, it requires courage as well… because that courage and reliance on God will be mistaken as a personal attribute rather than one endowed upon you by the Holy Ghost. If someone wronged your mother, father, sister, or friend would you defend that person because it was the right thing to do and you know them, or would you consider who would be offended if you did so?
Scripture says, behold I give you power to tread upon serpents . . . , the serpents are not personalities or physical people; they are spirits that manifest themselves in people, circumstances and situations. When we recognize that there is a war going on that has nothing to do with us but literally between good and evil, we will be conscious of our name and reputation thereby praying for the wisdom of God to help us represent Him in all that we do. To fight for God, name and reputation are relevant. It takes the Holy Ghost to protect us, lead us, and cover us in our efforts to keep a clean name while fighting this spiritual war. Jesus said, ... The rest He will set in order when I come.
Incidentally I like this discussion.