Reputation or Character
What are you working on…your reputation or your character? What is the difference? Your reputation is what people say about you and your character is what God knows about you, even if no one else knows.
I have to say I have spent a lot of time worrying about my reputation and what others will think of me. I have quickly come to realize that no matter how much time or effort you put into “securing” your reputation, that ultimately you cannot control what others say about you when you are not around. I have experienced this first hand over the last several weeks as I transitioned from one job to another. My goal was to leave my previous job with a good reputation. For those who really know me, they know that I did everything I could to leave in a Christ-like manner. However, human nature is human nature and when the new leadership filled with insecurity and lack of experience came face to face with meeting the realities of job expectations…guess who gets thrown under the bus? Correct, the one who left…the one who cannot defend themselves and is the easy scapegoat.
I have come to realize that I cannot protect my reputation or the perceptions of others, but what I can dwell on is my character. God knows all things about me and my motives, and I am sure He is absolutely pleased with my character and the way I transitioned to a new career opportunity. What a lesson for me to learn and to focus more on my inner character than my outward reputation in the future. I know I can use this lesson even in smaller situations where there is conflict or differences in opinions.
Where is your focus? Is it on what others will say about you today or what God will say about you one day when you meet Him face-to-face?
On a side note, we will all meet Him face-to-face, people who believe in Him and those who do not.
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