Reputation & Character

“But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.  And they glorified God in me.”-Galatians 1: 23 & 24

It has been said before, that reputation is what you’re perceived to be, and your character is what you really are.  One would hope, that his/her reputation and character is always positive, and that they always coincide; but this may not always be the case.  Certainly not for Paul the Apostle, he had his difficulties with regards to his reputation catching up to his character.  However, this was no matter, because the end result is what is most important; which was “they glorified God in me.”   You may have a fantastic reputation, admirable character, and reflect all the desirable qualities that the world would have, but if your life doesn’t glorify God, in the end it will profit little.  The whole of humanity is meant for one purpose, to glorify God.   

The book of Genesis, chapter one, tells us that God created: land and sea, space and sky, plants and animals; then he created man to inhabit his creation and he desired that God himself would inhabit mankind.  All his creation with the exception of mankind must glorify his name, there is no choice.  For this reason, we bring Him the most glory, because we have free choice, to live for ourselves or to live for Him.  You can choose to glorify yourself, or you can glorify God.  The sun will rise over the Atlantic each morning to bring light to the earth and people will be in awe of its beauty.  The blue ski and misty mountains will testify to the magnificence and might of the Almighty.  The vastness and size of space will promote the awesome power of the Alpha and Omega, but in all this; there is no choice or free will.  There is only creation.  We are the inhabitants of his creation and creation itself but we are different in that we can choose to deny God.  We can choose to deny his grace, his mercy, his power; we can even choose to deny his existence.  We have this choice while here on Earth, largely without punishment or retribution (however once we die we face judgment).  It was gifted to us just the same as the gift of life.  The sun cannot choose to shine, nor the tide to change, even the angels are subject to his authority, but God in his grace and mercy gave us choice, and loved us enough to subject himself to ridicule and mocking from the very creation which he made out of dust.  He wanted us to experience holiness, he wanted us to know Him, and he wanted this so bad that he willing gave his only Son so that we might find redemption and true life.  Think back, what brought you to Christ?  What convinced you that you could be saved?  Was it pictures of the Rocky Mountains or a visit to the Grand Canyon?  Perhaps, but far more likely it was the love of a Christian brother, it was the righteous life lived by a Parent or Grandparent.  It was the preaching (and living) of the cross by a pastor or layman.  They glorified God within themselves and that glory drew you, it drew me; they shined the light of Jesus in their life and it attracted us; it made you want to serve God and glorify Him over yourself.  It drew you to do His will over your own.  God was glorified within them.  Saul the Jew had the reputation and character of a man who persecuted the Christian church.  He believed in what he was doing, and it did a lot for him; but it did not glorify God.  We may believe in what we are doing, and we may have a reputation and character that is acceptable, maybe even exalted; but that is not the judgment, rather it’s, do you glorify God?  Does your life exalt Christ? 

The power of God through Jesus can dramatically change your life.  You may have bad character and a bad reputation, but that matters little to Him.  If God can command the oceans, he can change your life.  If God can move the mountains, he can change your life.  If God can set the sun in the sky, he can change your life.  These things have to obey him, but you must choose to obey him, and in choosing you can be a vessel unto honor, and your reputation and character can be changed by the power of the Holy Spirit so that one day you can say: “they glorified God in me.”  Is there a better testimony to leave?