My reputation

Have you ever had someone say something about you that is untrue? Perhaps they told a blatant lie, perhaps they just gossiped a little, whatever it was, it tarnished your reputation. And how did you react when there was a blemish on your reputation? Did you retaliate? Did you cringe with fear that someone might believe the untruth? Most of us have suffered in this way at some point in our lives.

Recently, I had faced this challenge and to make matters worse, the wrong was done to me by a family member. I obsessed about it for weeks.  I lost sleep.  Spent precious time methodically defending myself.  Lost time with my family because I just had to prove their lies wrong. Who was the loser?  Me.  I failed to recognize that Jesus is in control of my reputation.

Isn't it only natural for us to want to correct the injustice? Isn't it defending ourselves when we ty to figure out a way to make the real truth known? For some reason, we feel like we must set the record straight...but in reality, that's not our job. Sure in the flesh, we want our rights! We want the malicious gossip to be taken back, have the slate wiped clean...but does it really matter in the end anyway?

The truth is already known. It is known by Jesus Christ. He sees and weighs our motives and our hearts. He understands the pain and hurt we go through in situations such as this where the truth is abandoned and lies take its place. Instead of fighting for our rights, we must learn to let them go. Instead of worrying about our precious reputation, we must learn to rest in the knowledge of who we are in Christ.

You see, it doesn't matter what the world thinks. It only matters what God thinks. By remembering that we are free in Christ, we can truly understand that no matter what anyone says about us or does to tarnish our reputation, it doesn't matter. It doesn't change the fact that we are completely whole in Christ. It doesn't change the fact that all of our security rests in Him. By understanding this, we can be truly free and we don't have to worry about what is or isn't said about us. We don't have to try to protect our reputation and keep it free from blemishes. We can just rest knowing that God has it all under control!

No matter what is said about you, truth or not, the only thing that really matters is knowing who you are in Christ. The Bible says in Colossians 3:3 that "You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Does a dead man have to worry about his reputation??? NO! So neither should we! Live you life the way God intended...free from anxiety and worry. Just rest in Him. Let the gossips say what they will. Remember that old rhyme from childhood... "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me?" It has great truth hidden in it! So count it all joy the next time someone tells an untruth about you and move on....

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ⁴ And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2–4 (ESV)