How To Obtain A Good Reputation With God

How To Obtain A Good Reputation With God

Proverbs 3:3-4 -
Do not let kindness and truth leave you;
Bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart. 
So you will find favor and good repute
In the sight of God and man.       NASU 

• Obtaining A Good Reputation 

Here is a simple formula for obtaining a good reputation with God and men.
 
Always be kind to people and be truthful with God. The Hebrew word for kindness means to "show mercy" to people you meet.
 
In our world where we hear the words "show them no mercy" we read exactly the opposite in God's Word. When you deal kindly with others God takes notice of your actions. In fact, you can actually acquire this reputation with God.
 
If someone were able to ask God about you, what would His answer be?
 
Would He say, "He has a reputation of being a "kind and merciful" person in my eyes."
 
Let me inform you this is a REAL possibility.
 
Solomon says, "Do not let kindness and truth leave you…so you will find favor and good repute (or reputation) in the sight of God…"
 
It is not enough to agree with scriptures. In other words, we need to search out opportunities to be kind to people and speak the truth about God. We need to apply the scriptures to our lives.
 
I had this exact conversation with a friend of mine last week. He told me he reads the scriptures every day. I then told him, "You need to apply them in your life." The reason I was able to say that was earlier in our conversation he shared with me some of his actions. (He was not being kind. He was being antagonistic towards others.)
 
After I said those words to him there was a pause and then he said, "You just hit the nail on the head. I need to apply what I have been reading."
 
Lets be proactive TODAY. Lets find things that we can do for others in order that we might obtain a reputation with God for being "Kind" to His creation. 
​

• Truth 

We are to bind truth around our necks. We are always to be truthful in what we are saying.
 
This is one of the hottest topics on TV News. News reporters are in such a hurry to break a story they don't take the time to research it. Then in a few days after it has been researched it is reported that it was a lie or as President Trump calls it "Fake News."
 
Truthfulness is to be a characteristic of a Christian. It is your choice. You can lie or you can speak the truth. Paul says in Eph 4:15 - "speaking the truth in love,…" NASU.
 
I love how the Psalmist wrote it:
 
Ps 15:1-3 -
O LORD, who may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy hill? 
He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart. 
He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; 
NASU
 
If you want to have a great reputation with God, His formula isn't that hard: be Kind and speak the Truth.
 
Think On These:
 
Truth is often violated by falsehood, but can be equally outraged by silence.
 
To hear truth and not accept it doesn't nullify it.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A. Serago

Minister of God's Word