It would be reasonable to assume that Jesus Christ, during His human life, was a man of good reputation. But this was not always the case. During Jesus Christ’s life He was considered a deceiver, a blasphemer, demonically possessed, and even Satan himself. A man of “no reputation,” no good reputation (Philippians 2:7). How can this be?
How much it must have hurt to be falsely accused by the people He loved and for whom He was to give His life. Surely a good reputation is the primary goal of a true Christian, and yet Christ, the Apostle Paul, and others suffered widespread public dishonor even as they obeyed and taught God’s way. How do we bridge this seeming discrepancy?
First, does a good reputation matter? Yes, because, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold,” (Proverbs 22:1).
The Hebrew words imply that a “good name” is a mark of good character. We know that character is built over a long time. That’s how we know who a person really is. A good reputation and godly character are built slowly, and not through deceit.
A good reputation matters for several reasons. Reputation builds respect and trust in a work setting. A good reputation can also help resolve misunderstandings. At school, if you have a reputation for working hard and being consistent, then when the dog does eat your homework – you have an established reputation that can work in your favor.
Problems are prevented by a good reputation. It’s difficult to wrongly accuse someone of doing anything improper, if everyone knows that you live by a certain standard. Paul likened a Christian to serving in the role of an ambassador for Christ. Effective diplomats guard their behavior, character, and reputation very carefully because they are a reflection of their home country’s government.
I think the real reason to work at maintaining a good reputation comes from scripture. In Matthew 5:16 ESV, Jesus said: “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” And “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (I Peter 2:12 ESV). God’s people are to react to adversity, or a false reputation, with gentleness and meekness (Philippians 4:5). The fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5: 22-23, are foundational traits that are to be the basis of our reputation; what people know about us.
However, a reputation can be destroyed in this world with scary ease. If you have ever had your credit card number or identity stolen you know how quickly that can happen.
How interesting, then, that a lasting reputation can also be built on how we handle a falsely implied bad reputation in this world. It points to the power of God’s Spirit to change us, and how we think and react. It is often later, when situations fully become known, that people look back and see how someone dealt with a falsely dishonored reputation. As a result, future generations will see that it is possible, even under extremely challenging conditions, to trust in God. The world around us is unstable with no lasting foundation; we must seek the real world where God exists. Like Christ, we must be willing to be of “no reputation” to this world, waiting for the reward that patience, faithfulness, and hard work will bring. The definitive mark on us shouldn’t be the development of reputation, but of righteous character that, however God sees fit, points people to Him.
Tim Vail