A Godly Reputation

Scripture: Luke 7:26-30
"John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you'... 29 When they heard this, all the people—even the tax collectors—agreed that God’s way was right, for they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and experts in religious law rejected God’s plan for them, for they had refused John’s baptism."

Observations:
John the Baptist played an important role in history as the one who came to prepare the way for the ministry of Jesus. His message was simple 'repent, because God's Kingdom is near'. When Jesus spoke about John, the people listened, not just because Jesus endorsed his ministry, but because John had already established a reputation as a true man of God who spoke the truth. Even sinful people had a high regard for John because of his integrity as one who pointed people to God. John lived his life in such a way that those who wanted to find God did, and those who opposed him opposed God because that's who and what He stood for. Could this be one of the reasons Jesus said "of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is!” (vs. 28)?

Application:
Building a godly reputation doesn't happen overnight. In order for people to see God and know who He is, it requires us to live with integrity and be consistent over a period of time. Does the life you live by example point others to God? When people hear your name do they automatically associate you as a man/woman of God? Do they identify you as a person who will always speak the truth and stand for what is right? Whether we realize it or not, our reputation matters in God's Kingdom. God desires us to be so much like Christ that our very existence testifies to who He is. The very fact that we have a relationship with God in and of itself ought to point others to the truth of God simply because we have allowed God to make us into the person He created us to be. There's no substitue for a godly reputation. Our character always speaks louder than our words ever will. In everything we must "Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors...for it is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you." (1 Peter 2:12, 15).

Prayer:
Father, help us to be the kind of people who truly know You and make You known. Help us to see every day as an opportunity to build the kind of reputation that will reveal who You are to the world and lead them to Christ. Amen.













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