Some years ago a prominent televangelist and national leader was disgraced by the revelation of many improprieties and weaknesses of character. More recently, we have seen how even the most respected celebrities often can fall from grace through a single act of indiscretion or weakness.
Naturally, we all have chinks in our armor; no one is perfect. However, the writer of Ecclesiastes speaks deep truth when it comes to creating (and keeping) our good names. Our names are everything. Respect must be earned and kept. Integrity is often among the most cherished and prized possessions we have.
Day by day, we each are building our names (reputations associated with our names). Sadly, reputation takes a lifetime to build yet can be undone in a single moment. This doesn’t seem fair, but it is reality.
This week, consider your reputation—and make a prize of the way other people think of you. Your good name is one of the most important ingredients in your ministry. Certainly we all desire to keep our names untainted, unstained. This is never easy…but it is well worth the effort.
Today, make a pledge to continue to build your reputation and integrity. This effort will make all the difference in your ministry now and in the future.
