DAY 8: PRAY FOR A REPUTATION THAT BRINGS GOD GLORY – NEENA RATNER

Proverbs 22:1
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.”

The value of a good name or reputation is better than silver or gold. How important it must be to have! When others hear your name, what do they think about you? How do they feel? Encouraged? Or discouraged? Do they feel a sense of value? Or hurt? Do they feel empowered? Or drained? Do they think of someone who fears the Lord? Or holds themselves in a prideful manner?

If you’re new to walking out your faith, this can be difficult to answer because you have recently put on a new self and put off the old. (Colossians 3:9-10) Praise God for His redemption! Take heart that this is the beginning of your journey no matter how young or old and you can start building a good reputation in Jesus now.

For those who have been walking with the Lord for some time, this is something important that should hold weight to us. As Ephesians 5:1 states, we are to be imitators of God. How high a calling! But if we misrepresent God then how can we share the Good News of Jesus with others? As we look at Jesus’ life, we see a Truth-telling, Love-bearing, people-seeking, God-glorifying, bold-speaking, never giving up, grace-filled, forgiving Leader. Do those attributes challenge us to grow in Christ?

There have been many situations where I struggled with others and wanted to go against Jesus’ attributes, and the Holy Spirit’s desires in me. I wanted to put someone in their place, I wanted to defend why I reacted emotionally, I wanted to wipe my hands of someone else’s hurt feelings because they weren’t sorry for their own wrong-doing, etc. The truth of the matter is this: 1 John 4:4 says, “… He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” Jesus is greater. He’s better than me and should drive my actions by the power of His Holy Spirit. We shouldn’t react on emotions but rather on Him.

We use this phrase, “Jesus Wins”, a lot at WALK Church. Jesus wins in my life as my Savior, my Lord, my utmost Love, everything… everything including even the smallest of confrontations. Does Jesus win your arguments? Does He win your parenting? Does He win at the way you respect others who don’t deserve it? Does He win your emotions? That’s what I’m talking about here. I want you and I to live out Proverbs 22:1, in such a way that when others hear our name, they think, Jesus wins in his/her life.

Lord Jesus, I want to be known for speaking the truth in love, for forgiving when it’s not deserved, for apologizing when I hurt someone, for doing my very best when it comes to pursuing others and forming God-glorifying relationships. I want my reputation to be more valuable than money or gold could ever give because someone found everlasting life in You. In Jesus name, amen!

• Write down attributes of Jesus you see in the Scriptures. Ask accountability and wise counsel in your life to speak into which attributes they see you imitate most and which ones you need to work on.

IDEAS:

• Forgive someone who hurt you and as far as it depends on you, be at peace with that person.

IDEAS:

• Run the eighth mile out of the total of 21.
• Do 17 sit-ups and 17 push-ups.