Why should I care about my reputation?

Proverbs 22:1Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.

Proverbs 24:8A person who plans evil will get a reputation as a troublemaker.

Proverbs 25:7-10It’s better to wait for an invitation to the head table than to be sent away in public disgrace. Just because you’ve seen something, don’t be in a hurry to go to court. For what will you do in the end if your neighbor deals you a shameful defeat? When arguing with your neighbor, don’t betray another person’s secret. Others may accuse you of gossip, and you will never regain your good reputation.

2 Corinthians 8:20-21We are traveling together to guard against any criticism for the way we are handling this generous gift. We are careful to be honorable before the Lord, but we also want everyone else to see that we are honorable.

We should care about having a reputation of integrity so that the credibility of our witness for Christ cannot be questioned.

Matthew 6:1“Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.”

We should care about our reputation but it is essential that our reputation reflect who we are inside. Jesus warns against pursuing external spirituality just to impress others.

Acts 24:14-16“But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets. I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous. Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people.”

1 Peter 2:12Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. We should care about our reputations because they relfect on God and influence how people think of him.