Learning What is Really Valuable

“Be more concerned about your character than your reputation. Your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are”  —Dale Carnegie

Most of us were raised to guard our reputations as if our lives depended on it. We were even taught that our lives did depend on it for our reputations at best could protect, reward, employ us, or at worst could hinder, hurt, or even terminate us.

No wonder we find it so difficult to put our hard earned good reputations on the line when it comes to living for Jesus. When it comes to recognizing with Him we can think—‘What will they think of me if I share that Jesus guides my life?’ ‘How will they treat me when I tell them that we are all sinners and need to trust in Jesus as the only way to have a relationship with God the Father?’ But there is a key step that has to be taken to be able to give God our reputation and have our character be conformed to Jesus’ image. That step is presented by Paul in Philippians 3:7—11 where Paul tells us that he gave up his hard earned earthly reputation for an unearned eternal reward.

But Christ has shown me that what I once thought was valuable is worthless. Nothing is as wonderful as knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have given up everything else and count it all as garbage. All I want is Christ and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ. All I want is to know Christ and the power that raised him to life. I want to suffer and die as he did, so that somehow I also may be raised to life.

So, as you go through your day remember that you can either live life based on a hard earned earthly reputation, or an unearned eternal gift. I pray that you will choose the gift and that in so doing allow someone else to choose that gift as well. Share your faith with someone today.

You take care of your character and God will take care of your reputation.